Day 3

Hi all.
Today we went to San Gimignano, a walled city famous in part for its towers - 14 of them remain of the original 72. These were “tower” homes of the wealthy and powerful families around the 13th century, Families built higher and higher towers in competition to demonstrate who was the most wealthy and influential, reaching as high as 50 meters. One town leader, owner of the 51 meter tower made a law forbidding towers higher than 51 meters. This law failed to stop the next ambitious family who reasoned that they could show their wealth, without breaking the law, by building two towers or 50 meters, which they did.
This is another city of wonderful stone buildings along very winding narrow streets - all filled with tourists!
There is also a cathedral, smaller than the Siena cathedral, lined almost completely with frescos designed to educate the illiterate population about all manner of Christian history and doctrine with very graphic presentations of violence and brutality as well as the seven deadly sins and consequeces of commiting them. Very depressing stuff.
Then we went to a beautiful small church and abbey - the abbey (not in very good repair and not accessible). The church was built around 1030 ad or so and looks as though it was built last week.
Then on to Montereggioni - a fortress like structure situated on a very high area of land. A 13th century fortress built to protect Siena against the Florentines - there was (and apparently still is) very serious rivalry between the two cities (once city states).
A hot day with lots of walking - went for a swim when we got back to the hotel
Three photos from Ruth - one is the twin towers in San Gimignano and two from Siena (yesterday). One is our tour guide, Mary and the other is an overview from Siena. One of mine - the entry to the walled city of San Gimignano
More tomorrow when we go to Volterre to see some Etruscan art and ceramics from before 200 BC.
Rich