Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
As you crest the hill coming from the east, the 15 towers of this walled hill town look like
a medieval Manhattan. Originally an Etruscan village, the town was named after the bish-
op of Modena, San Gimignano, who is said to have saved the city from Attila the Hun. It
became a comune in 1199 and was very prosperous due in part to its location on the Via
Francigena - building a tower taller than those built by one's neighbour (there were ori-
ginally 72) became a popular way for the town's prominent families to flaunt their power
and wealth. In 1348 plague wiped out much of the population and weakened the local eco-
nomy, leading to the town's submission to Florence in 1353. Today, it's possible to believe
that not even the plague could deter the swarms of summer day trippers, who are lured by
the town's palpable sense of history, intact medieval streetscapes and enchanting rural set-
ting.
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