Planning your next vacation in Italy? Making a stop in San Gimignano is a definite must! This small hill town is located near Tuscany, a popular destination for travelers who decide to visit the beautiful country of Italy. The fact that Italy is located in Southern Europe makes it easy for vacationers who are already in Europe to explore and accordingly learn more about the birthplace of the Renaissance.
Exploring San Gimignano
San Gimignano is a small Tuscany town that’s quite famous for its fascinating medieval architecture. These architectural towers reach quite high in the sky, offering some of the best views of the town and its impressive valleys. The town was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1990, and ever since, many tourists have added the town to their bucket list. Today, it’s still often visited by travelers who have an interest in wanting to learn more about this fascinating town.
There’s a definite list of things to see and things to do while visiting San Gimignano. A short list includes visiting the Palazzo Comunale, the Pinacoteca and the Duomo of San Gimignano.
The Duomo
The Duomo of San Gimignano is also known as the Collegiate di San Gimignano and the Collegiate di Santa Maria Assunta. This Roman Catholic Collegiate Church is well-known for its murals and paintings, and is located in the Cathedral Square, aka the Piazza del Duomo. Built in the 10th century, the Church underwent renovation in the 12 century and was recognized as a Collegiate Church during the 15th century.
The architectural style includes both Romanesque and Renaissance techniques, making for quite an interesting architectural look. Inside the church are numerous paintings, murals and frescoes. The frescoes show scenes taken from the Old Testament and the New Testament. The most famous fresco painting was finished in 1493 and is called The Last Judgment.
The paintings and murals are also a site worth seeing! They’re located on the walls, ceilings and arches, and are impressively large and quite detailed. Those who have already visited tend to state that the Duomo left them breathless.
The Church is indeed a fascinating sight to see, due to its exquisite architecture, as well as its treasured art pieces. It’s also still seen as a place of faith and worship. Travelers should plan on spending at least 2 to 3 hours exploring all of the spectacular offerings that Duomo of San Gimignano has to offer.
Travel Makers