San Gimignano, art, a well appointed church, some of Rome, and a car

There is a little bit of history around most corners of a drive through the country side in Italy and I suspect most builders or operators of backhoes have dug up artifacts. Well some of the artifacts are just right out there in your backyard or the side yard. We were driving down a country lane and low and behold an aqueduct, a long Roman aqueduct, right there in the middle of the wheat field, right where you would expect one.

And I ought to recognize Charles and the Beamer he rented for us. A talking GPS unit too. Like Jason Borne, I noticed the brakes are a little soft on the front right, but other than that, we are ready to drive down a set of steps. Note the acqueduct in background- in case you missed it.  

That is San Gimignano, photo taken from the drive up to our B&B. San Gimignano was one of the cuter small historic towns we visited. It was full of various craftsmen and artisans, glassblowers, jewelers, metalworkers, and so on. Its history includes fighting in Italy's internal struggles and being a player in the fighting between the Guelphs and Ghibellines. The Ghibellines supported the Holy Roman Emperor against the Pope who was supported by the Guelphs in various civil wars that were often fought between individual cities.

San Gimignano had old church towers and a rather small footprint inside the city walls which were still intact. The  homes or palaces also had towers and were a feature of many towns as individual families built them for defense against either the Guelphs of Ghibellines depending on whomever they supported as the case may be and whenever the fighting brook out, towers were necessary for self defense. 

And there were old fort walls to climb in case the city was attacked from neighboring towns and past internal problems were forgotten.

And knights in shining armor to pose with.

A really well decorated and appointed cathedral.

With the best floor carvings yet.

And a Michelanglo chapel with St Peter here in the lower niche and there were Bernini statutes in a chapel and a Donatello statute of St John in another.

There was also a building with some old frescos. We got your basic knights jousting in one, the one in black armor guy getting the ole busteroo.  

Incredible complex ceiling and archway wall story boards with biblical stories. Not real sure how the knight jousting fits, but in olden days I am sure it did, especially with the Crusades and such.

And in town there was a modern art gallery, yes MODERN ART.

I loved it. This is from Mrs. Allen's 4th grade I think.

Tricks, this is not modern art it is actually just an old marble sink and water spigot from the buildings former life, some modern art is in the in upper left. The photo I have of it I will post on demand.

More modern art, great depth of field in this one.

And a window looking out onto the town with two pieces of art on either side.

A radiator under the window, not modern art.

I like the old masters, though the jewelers and glassblowers in town were pretty awesome too. One of the jewelers had been commissioned to do a chalice for Pope John Paul II.

San Gimignano was one of my favorite towns. Volterra was another, as was Barga di Lucca.