<--- Back to the second part (Piazza del Duomo).

The corner where is the Loggia opens the passage between the Piazza del Duomo and Piazza della Cisterna. This last square, triangular, owes its name precisely to the reservior of the thirteenth century which still lies in its center. The whole square is surrounded by interesting buildings and beautiful medieval towers, which make it a more picturesque corner of San Gimignano (among others in recent years, some commercials spots were shot in the square). 

The magical atmosphere that breathes filler the visitors behind in the time. Palaces and towers, alternating themselves, irregularly encircle the triangular space of the public square that is shrunk towards via del Castello. On the right, watching via del Castello, are show: the Razzi House, the Tortoli Palace, with its elegant four mullioned windows (14th century), the truncated Tower of the Pucci from the name of the family that possessed it between the 19th and 20th century, the Albergo della Cisterna, the Ridolfi Palace and the towers and the houses of the Becci and Cugnanesi; the Pellari palace and, with its two towers, the Ardinghelli palace. From the other side of the square the Lupi palace with the tower of the Diavolo and after the vicolo dell’Oro, where in past the goldsmith had their rich jeweller's shops, the 15th century Cortesi-Lolli palace. On the western side of the square (that it watches towards the Palazzo del Popolo) are the Semplici and Magazzini houses and the towers of the Ardinghelli.  

Continuing in descent towards via San Giovanni, the Arch of the Becci is crossed, it's an ancient door of the first town walls (to right is the evocative Vicolo dei Becci). From here it's reached the piazza dei Cugnanesi with the homonymous palace and tower, that offer to the visitor another wonderful scene, on the right is via Quercecchio from which is beautiful sight on the Torre Grossa. Continuing in light descent along via San Giovanni are others interesting medieval palaces like Palazzo Pratellesi, more ahead is reached on the left the church of San Francesco (13th century), or better that remains of it, infact closed between two bricks houses, remains only the beautiful Romanesque-pisan facade in white travertine, furrowed horizontally from dark lines of serpentine, with the doorway surmonted from a double arch with the symbol of the Knights Hospitaler.  

Get over the church of the convent of San Francesco, remains to see a shrine with a fresco of Sebastiano Mainardi and then the Porta San Giovanni, built in 1262 in sienese style with lowered arch, nearby is the church of the Madonna dei Lumi (17th century).  

Now we pass to visit of the fortification and the defense works of the town, that deserve a their own page. The tour continues to the medieval walls. --->

SEARCH FOR ACCOMMODATION IN SAN GIMIGNANO:

The houses Semplici and Magazzini and towers of Ardinghelli, Piazza della Cisterna, San Gimignano
Tower, San Gimignano	Torre Grossa, San Gimignano