San Gimignano, a tuscan holiday amid high culture

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San Gimignano, a tuscan holiday amid high culture

The city of San Gimignano is the art-historical pearl of the region of Siena and the jewel of the Chianti area. The charming medieval town ranks among the World Heritage Sites and is just 56 km away from Florence. Thanks to the Via Francigena, which led wayfaring men and merchants to Rome, San Gimignano reached a high degree of richness and meaning in the Middle Ages.

The patrician families, who controlled the city in the Middle Ages, built some 72 tower-houses. They were regarded as symbols of their power and wealth, and were about 50 meters high. Only 14 have survived, but San Gimignano has retained its feudal atmosphere and majestic appearance. The city is also home to masterpieces of Italian art of the 14th and 15th Century.

San Gimignano is located at an altitude of 334 meters and dominates with its towers the entire Elsa Valley. During the Hellenistic period (3rd and 2nd century BC), San Gimignano was the home of a small Etruscan village, but its real history began around the 10th Century. With its name the idyllic town pays tribute to St. Gimignano, Bishop of Modena, who once saved the village from a horde of barbarians. In the Middle Ages the magnificent development as a trading center between Tuscany and Rome, led to flourishing art works, that adorn the churches and monasteries. In the fight against the Bishops of Volterra and against the surrounding communities, San Gimignano achieved the status of a free municipality in 1199. Due to internal fights between the families Ardinghelli (Guelph) and Salvucci (Ghibellines), San Gimignano split into two fractions. On May 8th, 1300, Dante Alighieri came as ambassador of the Guelph League to San Gimignano. The terrible plague of 1348 and the consequent loss of population forced San Gimignano to submit to Florence. Over the following centuries San Gimignano managed to overcome its isolation and the rediscovery of its beauty, cultural significance and the original agricultural identity led to the inclusion in the list of the UNESCO world heritage sites.

The calming and picturesque hills and the countless vineyards make San Gimignano to a favorite destination for a farm holiday in Tuscany. The holiday farm Torre Prima is situated on a hill just in front of San Gimignano. Looking at the graceful silhouette of the tower houses at sunrise and sunset the soul comes to rest. Even in the hot summer months it is pleasantly cool. The holiday farm offers six rustic, comfortable apartments at a fair price. Particularly, in June, when the traditional knight festival takes place, San Gimignano is a perfect destination for a trip back to the Middle Ages. For further information: San Gimignano in June