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Colle di Val d’Elsa originally developed in three distinct sites, each with different buildings and layout: Il Borgo of Santa Caterina, Il Castello di Piticciano, and Il Piano.
© Mario Maccantelli / Be Tuscan for a day

Explore the surroundings

The San Gimignano skyline is beautiful but you need to leave the historical centre to see it properly.
Monteriggioni and its perfectly-preserved military towers that encircle an enchanting town centre. – © Tiziano Pieroni / Be Tuscan for a day

To appreciate the skyline of San Gimignano in all its glory, you'll need to head out of the town and into the surrounding countryside. The towers are so high that you can only notice them all from a few kilometres away.

When the towers were built, it was important they were clearly visible by enemies. However, it's also nice to think that maybe they were also a sign to remember the beloved home.

Merchant families of San Gimignano entered an informal contest of building higher and more splendid stone towers. Owning one was a monumental status symbol. – © Comune di San Gimignano
Merchant families of San Gimignano entered an informal contest of building higher and more splendid stone towers. Owning one was a monumental status symbol. – © Comune di San Gimignano

Despite social transformation and development over the last 60 years, the historical centre still retains the same ancient appeal. In the 1950s, the renowned Italian Architect Piero Bottoni decided to preserve the San Gimignano skyline and it's because of him we can still appreciate it from the surrounding landscape. There are buildings created in the modern times, but they don't hide the towers.

To take romantic pictures of the skyline of San Gimignano, you can see some of the best locations on this map:

Panoramic Views of San Gimignano
Panoramic Views of San Gimignano

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Explore the surroundings

© UNESCO World Heritage Centre 2024