Panorama of San Gimignano, Tuscany

City view with a road and an old castle/city wall in the foreground on the right, and on the road people with horse and cart and stacks of wood on their shoulders. San Gimignano is known for its thirteen towers that dominate the city's silhouette, several of which are visible here. These were built in the 12th and 13th centuries by rival wealthy families. The towers served as residences and fortifications, but mainly as prestige objects. At its height, the city had about 70 towers.