San Gimignano Art History Tourism

from Belmonte to San Gimignano

The fantastic location of the Belmonte farm holidays offers the possibility of reaching San Gimignano quickly, to visiting it without any difficulty, to stop at one of its typical restaurants and then to decide to continue to the discovery of other medieval villages, or to remain also in the evening and to enjoy the magnificent San Gimignano by night.

San Gimignano "city of the beautiful towers"

It was the times of feudalism and the Lords of San Gimignano competed with each other over who had the highest tower!

The tower in fact was a symbol of power, and the highest one belonged to the most powerful family of San Gimignano. At that time the town had seventy towers of which today only fifteen are left. This is an exception, since with the advent of the municipalities, the towers were demolished as a symbol of decadence of the power of the nobles. Entrance to San Gimignano is in fact amazing, you have such a strong and unsettling sensation of entering a film set given the environment of the medieval age that surrounds us. Porta San Giovanni welcomes us, introducing us into the small city, passing in front of the church of Saint Giovanni or Saint Francesco, founded by the Templar Knights and whose facade in white marble brings to mind the classic Romanesque style. The precipitous stone road, that for centuries had endured the passage of knights and merchants, leads us finally to the heart of San Gimignano: the Piazza della Cisterna (Cistern Square) and the adjacent Piazza del Duomo (Cathedral Square) takes its name from the well that rises in the middle of it, the latter from the Collegiata that stands out in the square.

A flurry of emotions flowing straight to the heart is what we feel when we walk through this wonderful masterpiece of Tuscan medieval architecture, surrounded by the high towers of the Governor, the Palazzo del Popolo and of the Torre Grossa. Here in the shade of the porches of the palace of the Governor or sat on the steps of the cistern, we can refresh ourselves with a delicious ice-cream from the famous ice-cream shop of the Piazza della Cisterna of San Gimignano.

From Piazza della Cisterna we move towards Piazza del Duomo. It is called Piazza del Duomo, but in reality it is a Collegiata, this charming place of cult adorned with beautiful marbles and refined paintings; and if once we arrive at the exit of the Collegiata, you hear the minstrels singing softly, don't worry, they are the musicians of San Gimignano who play on summer Sundays!

From Piazza del Duomo you can visit the Museo Civico (Civic Museum) where all the works of art of the Sienese and Florentine masters are collected including the Crucifix of Coppo di Marcovaldo and the two very beautiful Madonnas of Benozzo Gozzoli and the Tondi of Filippino Lippi.
The historical Sala del Consiglio also called Sala di Dante deserves a visit because there in 1299 the Supreme Poet spoke in his role as ambassador of Florence to convince the municipality of San Gimignano to join to the Guelph League.
The excursion through San Gimignano continues in the direction of the ruins of the Rocca, a fortress of 1300 inside of which picturesque gardens, small narrow lanes and beautiful panoramic viewpoints are hidden. On summer nights a small cinema is prepared in the open air under the stars.
The most famous and crowded via San Matteo deserves a walk where you can stop in a number of typical shops to buy genuine food products and graceful hand-crafted products. Walk and buy but remember to admire the surrounding renaissance buildings and the three prevailing towers of Salvucci, the other powerful Ghibelline family of San Gimignano, that with its high towers was set against the family of Ardinghelli, whose towers stand out in Piazza della Cisterna.
You proceed through the chapels of Saint Jacopo and Saint Peter with theirs frescoes but above all you continue the visit of San Gimignano at the only boundary doors of the walls: the discovery of its hidden treasures continues in the surrounding lands.

In the Tuscany countryside around San Gimignano you will be able to venture to the discovery of ruins of castles and monasteries, such as the picturesque church of 1100 A.C of Pieve di Cellole hidden in the middle of cypress woods from which you can enjoy from different points of view the wonderful San Gimignano: every view will be a postcard that you will carry in your heart.

Under the towers and under the stars....

Before returning to the Belmonte residence, it is worth spending the evening at San Gimignano, the night colours the city with a magical atmosphere. To visit the city of the towers by night is a show that brings unique sensations. You can walk through the alleys lit by ancient lampposts that give out a yellow light such as the lanterns of a bygone era, cross the hidden gardens where a group of actors recites its night show, you will be enchanted in Piazza della Cisterna under the starry sky framed by the high towers.

To decide to experience San Gimignano by night means being also able to savour typical Tuscany in one of the excellent restaurants situated in the colourful corners of its streets.

A good goblet of Vernaccia of San Gimignano will accompany a Tuscan soup or Florentine sliced fillet or beef or even if you like the game, you can satisfy your palate with a dish of deer cooked without condiment, a selection of stewed wild boar, or roe deer with olives.

You will be able to taste these dishes on the wonderful balcony of the "Le vecchie Mura" restaurant or savour the Tuscan delights in the "Osteria del Carcere", so called because it is situated beside the museum of torture.
The museum of torture remains open also at night and houses a detailed history of torture with a myriad of perfectly preserved instruments of pain.

After this exciting journey into history, the cosy residence of Belmonte will await you in the silent night where you will have the pleasure of sleeping with the windows open on a summer night and to fall asleep sweetly.