like many northern italian medieval towns s. gimignano is distinctive for its
its white wine medieval architecture saffron the Golden Ham
title: San Gimignano text: San Gimignano San Gimignano () is a small walled medieval hill town in the province of Siena, Tuscany, north-central Italy. Known as "the Town of Fine Towers", San Gimignano is famous for its medieval architecture, unique in the preservation of about a dozen of its tower houses, which, with its hilltop setting and encircling walls, form "an unforgettable skyline". Within the walls, the well-preserved buildings include notable examples of both Romanesque and Gothic architecture, with outstanding examples of secular buildings as well as churches. The Palazzo Comunale, the Collegiate Church and Church of Sant' Agostino contain frescos, including cycles dating title: San Gimignano text: Gimignano for a month. M. C. Escher's 1923 woodcut "San Gimignano" depicts the celebrated towers. A 15th-century version of the town is featured in the 2009 video game "Assassin's Creed II". San Gimignano is twinned with: San Gimignano San Gimignano () is a small walled medieval hill town in the province of Siena, Tuscany, north-central Italy. Known as "the Town of Fine Towers", San Gimignano is famous for its medieval architecture, unique in the preservation of about a dozen of its tower houses, which, with its hilltop setting and encircling walls, form "an unforgettable skyline". Within the walls, the well-preserved title: San Gimignano text: San Gimignano 1238 and whose feast day is 12 March. The Chapel of Santa Fina in the Collegiate Church houses her shrine and frescos by Ghirlandaio. The house said to be her home still stands in the town. On 8 May 1300, San Gimignano hosted Dante Alighieri in his role as ambassador of the Guelph League in Tuscany. The city flourished until 1348, when it was struck by the Black Death that affected all of Europe, and about half the townsfolk died. The town submitted to the rule of Florence. Initially, some Gothic palazzi were built in the Florentine style, title: Sirmione text: the Kingdom of Italy in 1860. The main historical landmark of Sirmione is the so-called Grottoes of Catullus ("Grotte di Catullo"), the most striking example of a Roman private edifice discovered in northern Italy. The edifice had a rectangular plan and measured 167 x 105 m. The town is famous for its thermal springs. Other sights include: The prehistoric settlement at Lugana Vecchia is part of the Prehistoric Pile dwellings around the Alps a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Sirmione is headed by a mayor (') assisted by a legislative body, the ', and an executive body, the '. Since 1995 title: Collegiate Church of San Gimignano text: Collegiate Church of San Gimignano The Collegiate Church of Santa Maria Assunta, San Gimignano is a Roman Catholic collegiate church and minor basilica located in San Gimignano, Tuscany, central Italy, situated in the Piazza del Duomo at the town's heart. The church is famous for its fresco cycles which include works by Domenico Ghirlandaio, Benozzo Gozzoli, Taddeo di Bartolo, Lippo Memmi and Bartolo di Fredi. The basilica is located within the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the "Historic Centre of San Gimignano", with its frescos being described by UNESCO as "works of outstanding beauty". The first church on the site