San Gimignano rises on a place inhabited by the Etruscans, certainly since at least the 3rd century BC. The Hill was chosen for strategic issues, being in dominant position (324 m a.s.l.).
The first mention of San Gimignano dates back to 929.
The towers
San Gimignano is especially famous for its medieval towers that still stand out on his views, that have earned him the nickname “Manhattan of the middle ages. Of the 72 towers and tower-houses, existing in the heyday of the municipality, 25 remained in 1580 and today there are sixteen, with other severed visible in the urban fabric. The oldest is the scab, which is 51 metres high, while the highest is the Torre del Podestà, also known as the Torre Grossa of 54 metres.
