Page 351 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Italy

SAN GIMIGNANO  349

VISITORS’ CHECKLIST E Museo Civico
Palazzo del Popolo, Piazza del Duomo.
Practical Information Tel 0577 28 63 00. Museum & tower:
Siena. * 7,000. n Piazza del Open 1 Apr–30 Sep: 9:30am–6:30pm
Duomo 1 (0577 94 00 08). daily; 1 Oct–31 Mar: 11am–5pm daily.
( Thu. _ Patron saints’ festivals: Closed 25 Dec. & 8
31 Jan San Gimignano & 12 Mar Frescoes in the courtyard of
Santa Fina; varying dates in Feb: this museum feature the coats
Carnival; 1st Sun in Aug: Fiera of arms of city mayors, as well
di Santa Fina; 29 Aug: Fiera di as a 14th-century Virgin and
Sant’Agostino; 8 Sep: Festa Child by Taddeo di Bartolo.
della Madonna di Panacole.
∑ sangimignano.com The first room is the Sala di The ceiling of the Collegiata, painted
Dante, where an inscription with gold stars
Transport recalls a visit by the poet in
@ Porta San Giovanni. 1300. The floor above has an R Sant’Agostino
art collection, which includes Piazza Sant’Agostino. Open daily.
excellent works by Pinturicchio, Consecrated in 1298, this
Among the Piazza del Duomo’s Bartolo di Fredi, Benozzo church has a simple façade,
historic buildings is the Palazzo Gozzoli and Filippino Lippi. contrasting markedly with the
Vecchio del Podestà (1239),
whose tower is probably The famous Wedding Scene heavily decorated Rococo
the town’s oldest. frescoes by Memmo di Filippucci interior (c.1740) by Vanvitelli.
(early 14th century) show a Above the main altar is the
couple sharing a bath and going Coronation of the Virgin by
to bed – an unusual record of Piero del Pollaiuolo, dated
life in 14th-century Tuscany. 1483. The choir is covered in
a cycle of frescoes of The Life
R Collegiata of St Augustine (1465) painted
Piazza del Duomo. Open daily. by the Florentine artist
This 12th-century Romanesque Benozzo Gozzoli.
church contains a feast of
frescoes. In the north E Museo San
VIA
aisle the frescoes Gimignano 1300
CAPASSI
comprise 26 episodes Via San Giovanni 50.
from the Old Tel 327 439 51 65. Open
Testament (1367) 10am–5pm daily (May–
Piazza della Cisterna by Bartolo di Fredi. Nov: to 6pm). & 7
This square The opposite wall This museum houses
is named after features scenes from Bartolo di Fredi’s Christ, a reconstruction of
the well at the Life of Christ (1333– San Gimignano as it
PIA ZZ A Sant’Agostino
DELL A VIA DEL CASTELLO its centre and is 41) by Lippo Memmi, was in the 13th and
CISTERNA the heart of the while at the back of the church 14th centuries. The exhibits – all
old town. there are scenes from the entirely handmade – include 72
Last Judgment painted by
“tower houses”, a symbol of the
VIA DEGLI INNOCENTI Taddeo di Bartolo. city’s power in the Middle Ages.

V I A P I A N D O R N E L L A

Key
Suggested route
0 metres 250
Fresco from the early 14th-century Wedding Scene cycle by Memmo di Filippucci
0 yards 250 in the Museo Civico

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