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Panorama of San Gimignano photo byVignaccia76 –

Top 10 Interesting Facts about San Gimignano

San Gimignano is a small walled medieval hill town in the province of Siena, Tuscany, north-central Italy. San Gimignano, a village about halfway between Florence and Siena, is famous for it offers visitors and chance to step back in time while still enjoying its local products including Saffron and its white wine.

It is the epitome of a Tuscan hill town. About 25 miles from both Florence and Siena it鈥檚 the region鈥檚 glamour girl, visually striking and perfectly preserved, it gets all the fawning attention from passing visitors.

Sitting comfortably upon a hill in Tuscany, a small but beautiful town rich with plenty of amazing buildings. It offers incredible sightseeing adventure with its unforgettable skyline. San Gimignano contains many buildings of Romanesque and Gothic architecture which have been well-preserved over the years.

Here are the top 10 interesting facts about San Gimignano.

1. San Gimignano gained independence in1199

San Gimignano photo by Inga Tomane –

San Gimignano was originally an Etruscan and the Roman settlement was founded on a hill, 334 meters above sea level. In time, it became a feudal domain of the bishops of Volterra and gained independence in 1199.

Today the town retains its ancient layout crossed by the pilgrim road to Rome- Via Francigena from north to south, from Porta san Matteo to Porta San Giovanni.

2. The town submitted to Florence in 1353

The plague of Florence in 1348, is described in Boccaccio’s Decameron. Etching by L. Sabatelli after himself photo by Wellcome Collection gallery – Wikimedia commons

In 1348, the Black Plague wiped out much of the population and weakened the local economy. In 1353, its finances were exhausted, and the city placed itself under Florence.

In the years to follow, San Gimignano managed to halt its decline and recover some of its former cultural importance.

3. It is named after the Bishop of Modena, Saint geminianus

Sts Geminianus and Severus photo by Paolo Veronese – Web Gallery of Art –

Originally called 鈥淐ity of Silvia鈥�, it later took its name from the bishop of Modena (d. 397). The name of Silvia was changed to San Gimignano in 450 AD after Bishop Geminianus, the saint of Modena intervened to spare the castle from destruction by the followers of Attila the Hun.

As a result, a church was dedicated to the Saint, and in the 6th and 7th centuries a walled village grew up around it. Subsequently, the village is called the 鈥渃astle of San Gimignano鈥� or the castle of the Forest because of the extensive woodland surrounding it.

From 929 the town was ruled by the bishops of Volterra.

4. San Gimignano has changed names throughout its existence

The magnificent, medieval town began as a small Etruscan village dating back to the 3rd century. It slowly developed into a city which was named Silvia. Silvia was derived from the escape of two noble brothers Silvio and Muzio, from Rome.

The name of the town eventually transformed into San Gimignano around 450 AD.

5. It is known as the town of fine towers

Towers of the medieval town of San Gimignano, Italy. The picture was taken in November 2003 photo by Dlanglois –

In the 14th century, the noble families and the upper-middle-class merchants began building many fortified tower houses to show their wealth and power. At the top of the hill, the two main squares 鈥� Piazza della Cisterna and Piazza dell Duomo are the centre of life here as they have been for centuries.

At the height of its glory, San Gimignano鈥檚 patrician families had built around 72 tower houses. Although only 14 have survived, San Gimignano still retains its feudal atmosphere and appearance.

Each family had its private army that would periodically battle things out from the protection of its respective family towers.

6. San Gimignano鈥檚 towers had names appointed to them

San Gimignano photo by Fr茅d茅ric Neupont –

In San Gimignano the towers have nicknames! Residents gave a majority of the towers nicknames which have various stories of origin. One memorable name is 鈥淭ower of The Devil鈥� which attracted attention for mystical stories and legends.

A favoured story describes the shock of the proprietor when returning from a trip and seeing it enlarged from its original height. It was rumoured that the devil was responsible for this magical development in height. The 鈥淭roublesome Tower鈥�, which translates to 鈥淭orre Rognosa鈥� in Italian, was named after its town’s status as a prison.  

7. The town was a stopping point for pilgrims

San Gimignano developed in popularity during the middle ages due to its demand as a resting place for pilgrims and other travellers moving between Canterbury and Rome.

Located along the ancient road known as Via Francigena, which was an illustrious road linking Rome and France together, the city blossomed during the medieval period and became home to 12, 000 people during its peak.

8. Its half population was the victim of the Black Plague

San Gimignano鈥檚 reputation as an affluent town quickly halted during the Black Plague in 1348. The Black Plague caused a substantial amount of buildings to deteriorate over time and gradually, San Gimignano suffered neglect and began to disappear in its significance.

San Gimignano鈥檚 golden days ended as they started in the 1300s when the Plague swept the city first in 1348 and then in 1464 and 1631. Without much time to recover in between waves of sickness, the city鈥檚 population steadily decreased and economic stagnation occurred. The city did not begin to recover until the 1700s.

The Black Plaque essentially ruined the city. A significant portion of the population was killed and causing many people to flee the area.

Luckily, it never suffered destruction from war or battles and some towers remain today in reasonable conditions.

9. San Gimignano has impressive Piazzas and churches

San Gimignano – Piazza S. Agostino photo by Jordiferrer –

Apart from towers and civic buildings, San Gimignano also has impressive piazzas and churches. The piazzas are triangular and are designed based on Romanesque and gothic styles.

Some of the churches are plainly for religious purposes while others contain artworks from top artists, many of which are a must-see.

10. San Gimignano was proclaimed a UNESCO World Heritage in 1990

San Gimignano has been a UNESCO site since 1990 as a masterpiece of creative human genius, an exceptional example of breathtaking architecture and landscape as well as a unique testimony to a civilization of the past narrating key stages of humanity鈥檚 history.

Its authentic medieval structure is lovingly preserved both architecturally and in terms of urban planning, allowing us to admire it enraptured to this day.

In particular, it is the historic centre of San Gimignano with its towers, which earned its nickname Manhattan of Middle Ages, that is considered a valuable universal asset to be known, explored and protected.