Page 350 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Italy

348  CENTR AL IT AL Y

f Street-by-Street: San Gimignano

The 13 towers that dominate San Gimignano’s skyline
were built by noble families in the 12th and 13th
centuries, when the town’s position – on the main
pilgrim route from northern Europe to Rome –
brought it great prosperity. The plague of 1348, and
the diversion of the pilgrim route, led to its decline as
well as its preservation. Today only one of the towers,
the Torre Grossa, is open. San Gimignano is rich in
works of art, as well as good shops and restaurants, San Gimignano’s famous skyline, almost
although many close from November to March. unchanged since the Middle Ages
The Museo Civico provides
access to the tallest of the
town’s 13 remaining towers.

Sant’
Agostino

Collegiata V I A D I A C C E T O V I A S A N M AT T E O V I A C A PA S S I
This 11th-century
church’s interior
is full of frescoes, CAPASSI
VIA
including The
Creation (1367)
by Bartolo di Fredi.
PIA ZZ A PIAZZA
NOMI DEL DUOMO

VIA DELLA COSTERELLA CISTERNA VIA DEL CASTELLO
PIA ZZ A
DELL A
VIA DEGLI INNOCENTI

VIA DI QUERCECCHIO

Palazzo del Popolo
The council chamber V I A B E R I N A N O V I A S A N G I O V A N N I
of the town hall V I A P I A N D O R N E L L A
(1288–1323) features
a large Maestà (1317)
by Lippo Memmi.

The Annunciation
by Ghirlandaio Bus station
This painting, Museo San
completed in 1482, is Gimignano 1300
located in a courtyard
loggia alongside Via San Giovanni is lined with
the Collegiata. shops selling local goods.
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp569–73 and pp590–96

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Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v1.9)
Date 20th August 2012
Size 125mm x 217mm