The Towers of San Gimignano

Tuesday, May 09 - A low key day with a trip to San Gimignano

Five of the 14 towers of San Gimingnano

My friend Evan calls this area of Tuscany – especially around San Gimignano – Chiantishire.  He’s probably right.  I visited San G once, 20 years ago for an evening.  I remember the Gozzoli frescos in La Chiesa di Sant’Agostino and a good dinner with Vernaccia wine.  I thought maybe it would be a good time to go back for a second look.

It was a little easier to awaken this morning.  Up at 8 and out of bed before 9 AM.  Same great breakfast on the patio under the pergola.  Volterra, on the western horizon, was alight with the morning sunlight.  It was colder this morning by about 10 degree (high 50’s) but seems to be less threatening for rain.  After  2 caffe lattes, I was ready to go.

 We didn’t really leave the terrace until after 10:30 and went on our way to visit San Gimignano around 11 or so.  We took the winding north road – about 12 Km and 30 minutes.  

 We found the public car park on the north entrance to the city, and climbed up the stairs and public elevator to enter the city walls near the Piazza di Sant’Agostino.  

Piazza di Sant'Agostino

The plain exterior of the Chiesa of Sant'Agostino hides the beautiful secret of the Gozzoli frescos within.

The piazza was fairly quiet, with only one ristorante open for business with tables for a few families enjoying refreshments.  We entered Sant’Agostino and I spent some time gaping at the Benozzo Gozzoli frescos of the life on Saint Augustine. I had a flash back to the 1990’s when I visited this same place with Suzanne Landis and a group of women friends.  Same frescoes, but without the guided commentary.

Benozzo Gozzoli painted a series of frescos about the life of St. Augustine behind the altar

Gazelle's faces are so realistic and I love the little dog in front of St. Augustine in this panel

Michael and I walked along the main commercial street to arrive at the Palazzo del Popolo and the Collegiata della Santa Maria Assunta.  There are many more tourists here, mainly German and English, with a rare Italian speaker in the group – quite a contrast to Volterra. 

The towers and the dark, narrow streets give San G the feel of medieval times

We gawked at the 14 towers still standing and paid the ticket price to see the artwork inside the Palazzo del Popolo.  There are a number of interesting works from the Renaissance here.  I looked at them while Michael climbed the Torre Grosse.  A beautiful painting of the assumption of the Madonna by Pinturicchio, some tondi by Filippino Lippi and some suggestive non-sacred frescos of a naked married couple in the camera della Podesta (the bedroom of the Mayor).

The Collegiate church in San Gimignano and the Piazza del Popolo

Covered medieval staircase in the Palazzo Popolo, leading to the museum and the Torree Grosse

Santa Fina, painted marble bust of the patron saint of San Gimignano

We were ready to head back to our Borgo by about 2 PM.  Mike stopped for a slice of pizza along the way out to the car park.  We sat fuori le mure (outside the walls) of the city while he ate his small snack, and then headed back to our place.  Lots of beautiful vistas of the hills, vineyards and farms along the way.

Heading outside of the city walls

A quick picnic with a slice of pizza before heading out to the hills and back to the Borgo