San Gimignano, Tuscany, Italy

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There is one special village in Tuscany, San Gimignano, that has more than a dozen medieval skyscrapers that have been standing there for 700 years. Tall stone towers like this were found in many Tuscan towns during the Middle Ages. But in later times, most of them were torn down, which makes these survivors of San Gimignano so unusual. No doubt this is one of the largest collections of medieval towers in Italy.
00:00 Introduction
00:29 Google Earth view
02:06 walking route
03:51 World Heritage
05:12 Piazza Cisterna
06:48 climb tower
11:06 art museum
13:35 via San Matteo
14:08 fortress
15:07 side alleys
17:08 best season

Originally, San Gimignano had 72 of these towers back in the Middle Ages, and remarkably, 14 of the towers have survived, which is the main reason why this town is so famous. San Gimignano was preserved in this unique way because for many centuries it was ignored and left alone without any further development, until the 20th century, when its status as a tourist attraction began to be recognized.
These preserved buildings became a bonus for the modern visitor who gets to experience an authentic medieval town. The highest tower reaches 170 feet, and you can pay a small fee to climb all the way up to the top of it, where you get a fabulous view of the old town and a delightful panorama of the Tuscan countryside.

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