San Gimignano is a medieval hill town in Tuscany, Italy. The fortified town is located on top of a hill. Originally, it was an Etruscan village but became independent in the 12th century. It is famous for its well-preserved medieval architecture and towers resembling skyscrapers and is even known as ”the Town of Fine Towers”. With its skyline of medieval steeples, San Gimignano has also been nicknamed the ”Medieval Manhattan”.
Two major families controlled San Gimignano during medieval times: the Ardinghelli and the Salvucci. The families were competing with each other to build the tallest tower houses because owning a tower symbolized wealth and power. By the end of the 14th century, the town had 72 towers some of which were up to 70 meters. The major conflict between the Guelphs and the Ghibellines also fueled the rivalry within the town.
The tower building competition stopped when the council declared that no tower was to be taller than the Palazzo Communale, the seat of the civic authority in the commune. Out of these 72 towers, only 14 have managed to survive including the towers of Cugnanesi and Pesciolini. Today, the highest tower in San Gimignano is Torre Grossa with a height of 54 meters which was built in 1310.
After the plague that terrorized all of Europe, the hill town fell under the rule of Firenze. During this time, new buildings with Gothic and Romanesque styles were built and many of the towers were reduced to the height of the surrounding houses.
The historic center of San Gimignano is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1990.
