We had a stroll in San Gimignano, a small walled medieval town in the province of Siena and situated in the breathtaking Valdelsa. San Gimignano is famous for its medieval architecture, unique in the preservation of about a dozen of its tower houses, which, with its hilltop setting and encircling walls form an unforgettable skyline. Piazza della Cisterna and Torre del diavolo (Devil's Tower) are displayed to the left. The Cisterna is the stone well arising in the middle of an axe-shaped square covered with herringbone-pattern bricks. Behind the well stands the tall Devil's tower crenellated with overhanging corbels. It derives its name from a tale according to which the "signore" dwelling in the tower returning from a trip found the tower taller than it was when he had left. This increased height was attributed to the intervention of the devil himself. In a different version of the legend the lord of the tower makes a deal with the devil but later he refuses to accomplish the agreement. Then the devil takes revenge by leaving his mark on one side of the tower.
At the top of the square stands the Collegiate Church of Santa Maria Assunta. The church is most famous for its largely intact scheme of fresco decoration, the greater part of which dates from the 14th century, and represents the work of painters of the Sienese school, influenced by the Byzantine traditions of Duccio and the Early Renaissance developments of Giotto. The frescoes comprise a Poor man's Bible of Old Testamentcycle, New Testamentcycle, and Last Judgment, as well as an Annunciation, a Saint Sebastian and the stories of a local saint, St Fina, as well as several smaller works.
Fina is the saint of the gillyflowers. Her name may have been Iosefina, shortened to Fina. She was born in 1238 to Cambio Ciardi, a declined nobleman who may have owned a superb stone tower.
In 1248 Fina’s life was changed by a serious illness, which began, progressively, to paralyse her body. Her deep faith relieved her pain. She refused a bed and chose instead to lie on a wooden pallet. According to her legend, during her long sickness her body became attached to the wood of the table, and worms and rats fed on her rotting flesh. During her illness, she lost her father and later her mother died after a fall. In spite of her misfortune and poverty she thanked God and expressed a desire that her soul might separate from the body in order to meet Jesus Christ.
Fina's immense devotion was an example to all the citizens of San Gimignano, who frequently visited her. Visitors were surprised to receive words of encouragement from a desperately ill young girl who was resigned to the will of God. On March 4, 1253, after five years of sickness and pain, while her nurses Beldia and Bonaventura were waiting for her to pass away, Saint Gregory the Great appeared in Fina’s room and predicted that she would die on the 12th of March. Fina died on the predicted date. She was only 15 years old.
By the side of the Collegiata stands the Palazzo Comunale or Palazzo del Podestà surmounted by a very large tower called Torre Grossa or "la Rognosa" (the mangy one) because it was used as prison in the past. The Palazzo that dates from the late 13th century, and was built on the ruins of an existing building, contains important fresco decoration by Memmo di Filippuccio, Lippo Memmi and others and hosts a gallery with works of the Florentine and Sienese school. On the ground floor is a courtyard, which was built in 1323 and is decorated with the coats of arm of those who have held public office in the municipality. The upper stories of the palazzo house the Sala del Consiglio, and the civic museum and gallery. The "Sala del Consiglio" is a large reception hall which was used as the council chamber. It is commonly known as the "Sala di Dante" and is named for the noted poet Dante Alighieri who visited San Gimignano in 1300 as an ambassador of the Florentine Republic.
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| San Giovanni gate |
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| The old church of Saint Francis |
The room is decorated with a Maestà by Lippo Memmi. The fresco shows Mary seated on a throne surrounded by adoring saints and angels (including patron Nello de Mino Tolomei). The gallery itself is on the second floor and contains works by Coppo di Marcovaldo, Lippo Memmi, Benozzo Gozzoli, Filippino Lippi, Azzo di Masetto and others. The first room is called The Trinity, due to a painting on this topic by Pier Francesco Fiorentino. Other rooms contain a Maestà from the late thirteenth century, altar decorations by Memmo di Filippuccio, several Gothic altarpieces (including one showing scenes from the life of Saint Gimignano), a Madonna with Saints Gregory and Benedict by Pinturicchio, and two medieval painted crosses of the Florentine school. The Podestà apartments (Camera del Podestà) are frescoed with matrimonial scenes of a couple taking a bath and going to bed. (An unusual work by Memmo di Filippuccio dated to the early 14th century.)
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| Saint Agostino Church |
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| The Salucci towers, called the twin towers |
At the top of the square stands the Collegiate Church of Santa Maria Assunta. The church is most famous for its largely intact scheme of fresco decoration, the greater part of which dates from the 14th century, and represents the work of painters of the Sienese school, influenced by the Byzantine traditions of Duccio and the Early Renaissance developments of Giotto. The frescoes comprise a Poor man's Bible of Old Testamentcycle, New Testamentcycle, and Last Judgment, as well as an Annunciation, a Saint Sebastian and the stories of a local saint, St Fina, as well as several smaller works.
In 1248 Fina’s life was changed by a serious illness, which began, progressively, to paralyse her body. Her deep faith relieved her pain. She refused a bed and chose instead to lie on a wooden pallet. According to her legend, during her long sickness her body became attached to the wood of the table, and worms and rats fed on her rotting flesh. During her illness, she lost her father and later her mother died after a fall. In spite of her misfortune and poverty she thanked God and expressed a desire that her soul might separate from the body in order to meet Jesus Christ.
Fina's immense devotion was an example to all the citizens of San Gimignano, who frequently visited her. Visitors were surprised to receive words of encouragement from a desperately ill young girl who was resigned to the will of God. On March 4, 1253, after five years of sickness and pain, while her nurses Beldia and Bonaventura were waiting for her to pass away, Saint Gregory the Great appeared in Fina’s room and predicted that she would die on the 12th of March. Fina died on the predicted date. She was only 15 years old.
By the side of the Collegiata stands the Palazzo Comunale or Palazzo del Podestà surmounted by a very large tower called Torre Grossa or "la Rognosa" (the mangy one) because it was used as prison in the past. The Palazzo that dates from the late 13th century, and was built on the ruins of an existing building, contains important fresco decoration by Memmo di Filippuccio, Lippo Memmi and others and hosts a gallery with works of the Florentine and Sienese school. On the ground floor is a courtyard, which was built in 1323 and is decorated with the coats of arm of those who have held public office in the municipality. The upper stories of the palazzo house the Sala del Consiglio, and the civic museum and gallery. The "Sala del Consiglio" is a large reception hall which was used as the council chamber. It is commonly known as the "Sala di Dante" and is named for the noted poet Dante Alighieri who visited San Gimignano in 1300 as an ambassador of the Florentine Republic. 
The room is decorated with a Maestà by Lippo Memmi. The fresco shows Mary seated on a throne surrounded by adoring saints and angels (including patron Nello de Mino Tolomei). The gallery itself is on the second floor and contains works by Coppo di Marcovaldo, Lippo Memmi, Benozzo Gozzoli, Filippino Lippi, Azzo di Masetto and others. The first room is called The Trinity, due to a painting on this topic by Pier Francesco Fiorentino. Other rooms contain a Maestà from the late thirteenth century, altar decorations by Memmo di Filippuccio, several Gothic altarpieces (including one showing scenes from the life of Saint Gimignano), a Madonna with Saints Gregory and Benedict by Pinturicchio, and two medieval painted crosses of the Florentine school. The Podestà apartments (Camera del Podestà) are frescoed with matrimonial scenes of a couple taking a bath and going to bed. (An unusual work by Memmo di Filippuccio dated to the early 14th century.)
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