San Gimignano and its medieval cityscape

 San Gimignano, situated in the Tuscan region of Italy, is known for its medieval townscape that can attract any enthusiastic traveler. In my previous blog posts, I described in detail the beauty of the old town and its surroundings.  In this post, some of the important buildings inside the ancient town complex are described in detail for enthusiasts of history and even romance. Being a UNESCO heritage site due to the creative genius of mankind, the towering buildings in the town complex need a special mention.

The stone-made Torre Grossa, the highest tower in the city, is not an easy climb after a hearty lunch! The tower gives a nice view of the city and its surroundings hills and pastures, and is worth climbing up. However, this is not the best part of the city that I would recommend. Probably the Devil's Tower nearby would have piqued my interest, if I was aware of the building during my visit (also if I knew that the building is associated with the video game Assassin's Creed!). 

View of Torre Grossa from the surroundings of the Piazza del Duomo

The Piazza del Duomo is one of the important spots for understanding the religious and political life during medieval times. A major example of this that I felt during my visit was the interior of the Cathedral of San Gimignano. At first sight, the altar and the passage looked like any other cathedral built in Florentine style, however, the life-size frescoes on both sides of the walls made this place look unique to me. 

The altar of the Cathedral of San Gimignano with frescoes on both sides of the wall

The frescoes inside the cathedral require a special mention, as it is these nicely preserved and bright creations that I love the most and do not want anyone who visits this city to miss. Even if you do not know each and every event in the Bible, the frescoes can be easily recognized as different scenes from the Old and New Testaments. These are portrayed separately on two different sides of the walls. So far, I have not witnessed frescoes anywhere that show an eventful portrayal of the Bible so vividly and dramatically.

Frescoes inside the Cathedral of San Gimignano

There are a few interesting museums that are combined with the Municipal Palace (Palazzo Comunale). Dating back to the 13th century, this building hosts many frescoes and historical artefacts related to the visit of the poet Dante Alighieri, which interested me. This also includes a visit to the Picture Gallery (Pinacoteca) showing some examples of Florentine art. At the end of the gallery, there is also the entrance to the Torre Grossa tower. If one is not an admirer of too much information and just wants to feel the place, just sitting in a corner in the courtyard and looking around can give what you want.

Entrance of Palazzo Comunale to the courtyard

The courtyard of the Palazzo Comunale caught my attention. There are some slightly worn frescoes around and a cistern dating back to the 13th century. It interested me that there are different sights to see even before entering the museums that are situated on the upper floors of the building that you see when you go further into the courtyard.

A cistern and some frescoes in the courtyard of the Palazzo Comunale

Spending a few days exploring the cityscape and outskirts of San Gimignano has been one of the best getaway holidays I've had recently. The charming medieval architecture, picturesque landscapes, and the serene atmosphere made for an unforgettable experience.

About me

I like to travel- small travels, long travels, up a mountain, down a valley, to a sloppy marsh, to smoky volcanoes, to ancient castles, to bustling cities, to fairy tale villages, to Gothic haunts; a visit to Como, a flight to Boston, up the Matterhorn, down Shimla valley, to the bogs of Galway, to the puffy Etna, to ancient Stonehenge, to the Broadway theater. My travels go on.

If you ask me what interests me most, I don’t have a specific answer. Landscape fascinates me; my camera always captures pristine nature. People and their food interest me. I try to understand their temperament through their food- the spicy Andhra lamb curry, the cheesy spaghetti Carbonara, the slurpy Ramen, the huge hamburgers of N.Y. I take care to taste the local food wherever I go.

Looking at the Thun castle I say, this is sandstone, typical of the place. Bending my neck backwards to view the tallest spike in the cathedral of Milan (ancient cathedrals attract me, I do not know why!) I say, oh, Gothic art in marble. I collect rocks from the places I go (when people collect curios and jewellery!).

So, in short, I am an enthusiastic traveler, who travel for the sheer joy of it. I am a photographer (not professional) and a foodie. I appreciate art, ancient and modern. That explains me. Now you might be wondering about my interest in rocks. I am a Geologist too!!