MAKE A HOLIDAY IN SAN GIMIGNANO: A MEDIEVAL HILL TOWN
History of one of the most visited city in Tuscany
pubblicato il 16/12/2014 07:16:49
Thanks to its beautiful and good conservation, the Historic Centre of San Gimignano is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1990. Known as “The Town of Fine Towers” , San Gimignano is famous for its medieval architecture, unique in the preservation of about a dozen of its tower houses.
The history of the city is really charming. In the 3rd century BC a small Etruscan village stood on the site of San Gimignano. Chroniclers Lupi, Coppi and Pecori relate that during Catiline conspiracy against the Roman Republic in the 1st century, two patrician brothers, Muzio and Silvio, fled Rome for Valdelsa and built two castles, Mucchio and Silvia (now San Gimignano). A legend tell that Saint Gimignano from Modena, saved the city by the barbarous of Totila. That’s the reason why the city is called San Giminignano.
The main attraction of San Gimignano are the famous tower houses. In the Middle Age they were a symbol of power and worth and each noble family had a tower house. Unfortunately during the centuries a lot of many tower houses were destroyed.
The town also is known for the beautiful panorama, for the cultural and artistic heritage, for the local gastronomy and for the white wine, Vernaccia di San Gimignano, produced from the ancient variety of Vernaccia grape which is grown on the sandstone hillsides of the area.
Here you are San Gimignano: the third most visited city in Tuscany!