San Gimignano, Land of Towers, and Volterra, Land of Vampires
SAN GIMIGNANO Twin towers San Gimignano is another Italian hill town encircled by walls. The town radiates from its triangular Piazza della Cisterna, a piazza lined with medieval houses. The old cistern/well Beautiful house facades It has a skyline of medieval towers, for which the town is beloved. Towers seen from the piazza Who doesn't love a good crenallation? Bastion at wall's main portal Pointy skylines were the norm in Tuscany in the Middle Ages, when feuding noble families ran the hill towns (think Montagues and Capulets). Each family had its own private army that would periodically battle things out from the protection of its respective family towers. While some were built as a refuge against attackers, others were empty, chimney-like structures built only to boost noble egos (not unlike the McMansions of today). Florence ruled in the 14th century, asserting their power over the local nobles by ordering them to lop off their towers. But for whatever reason, some of