San Gimignano is a small walled medieval hill town in the province of Siena, Tuscany, north-central Italy. It is mainly famous for its medieval architecture, especially its towers, which may be seen from several kilometres outside the town.
It rose from an ancient etruscan settlement around a seventh century parish and a castle gave to the Volterra’s episcope in 929; during the XII century became a city-republic. Its first walls were born in 998, when San Gimignano became a business centre along the Francigena Way.The families, enriched with the commerce, ordered 72 towers to be built (but, as the law forbade, everyone could not exceed in height the Commune tower, called Rognosa).
Further to the continuous infighting between Guelfi and Ghibellini factions (in 1300 also Dante Alighieri stopped there few days as Guelfi’s league ambassador) and to the conflict with Volterra, in 1353 was subdued to Florence, following later the rule of Grand Duchy of Tuscany till 1860.
The Urban structure and the numerosity of civil and religious buildings of San Gimignano, almost intact, preserve the medievale fascination; nowdays remain only 15 of the 72 towers, unbroken or cropped, but they are enough to give an unmistakable mark to the town.