.San Gimignano - Fortress Montestaffoli

Coming out of the square, turn to the right corner of the Cathedral and get into the Piazza delle Erbe (Erbe means vegetables and it was so called because here was the market place). From here we go up to the Fortress situated on the highest spot of the town. It was built in 1353, when San Gimignano devoted itself to Florence, on a pre-existing Dominican Convent. The fortress lost every military importance in 1555 when Cosimo I ordered its destruction.
From one of the towers we can enjoy one of the most characteristic views of the towers as well as of the Valdelsa countryside.
From the Cathedral Square, going beyond the Arch of the Chancery, we get into Via S. Matteo. This street is flanked with palaces dating back to the 12th and 13th centuries with nice mullioned windows. Note at the beginning, the palace of the Chancery (14th century), the Tower-House of Nomi Pesciolini (also called Palace of King Desiderius); the Church of St. Bartholus; in front, a Moresque-styled house; on the right, at number 60, the Tinacci Palace with three lines of windows. Going on to the Gate (Porta S. Matteo, of which one enjoys a comprehensive view from out of the walls), through Vicolo Cellolese, we turn to left and reach Piazza S. Agostino.

Church of St. Augustine
On the square paved in herring-bone shape (12th century Romanesque style) there are the Church of St. Peter and the Church of St. Augustine. The Church of St. Peter belongs to the Bishop's See of Volterra, reminding the mastery of this town over San Gimignano. To visit it, apply to the Augustinian Friars. Inside, there are some interesting paintings of the Sienese school, perhaps by Bar-na himself.
The Church of St. Augustine, together with the Convent, was built from 1280 to 1298. Its style is Gothic, even if Gothic constructive elements are not applied to a great extent. It has only one nave with a rectangular apse, flanked by smaller chapels. During a recent restoration the ogival windows were brought to light.
First of all pay a visit to the choir's paintings behind the main altar. Benozzo Gozzoli painted on the walls the life of St. Augustine, one of the greatest thinkers of the Christianity. At first sight one draws the impression of freshness, of visual taste, of pleasant reading. The Florentine painter gave here the best of his art and of his skill in a harmonious composition of colours which gratifies the eyes and expresses with some biographical fidelity the life of the saint.
The whole work was made from 1463 to 1465.

Starting from left the paintings represent:
. the parents of Augustine entrust their child to the teacher of Tagaste.
. Augustine enters the Unuversity of Carthago.
. Augustine travelling for Italy.
. The landing at Ostia.
. Augustine teaches in Rome.
. Augustine leaves for Milan.
. Augustine meets in Milan the Bishop Ambrose and the Emperor Theodosius.
. Augustine listens to a homily of St. Ambrose; his mother Monica implores St. Ambrose for the conversion of her son; disputation of Augustine with St. Ambrose.
. Augustine meditates over the letters of St. Paul.
. Augustine is baptized.
. Augustine visits the Convent of Monte Pisano; an angel appearing as a child, tries to pour off the sea water into a puddle thus dissuading Augustine to inquire about the mystery of the Holy Trinity relying only on the reason.
. Death of St. Monica; above, left, St. Augustine talks to his mother; below, right, St. Augustine goes back to Africa.
. Augustine blesses people after being consecrated Bishop of Hippon.
. Augustine debates victoriously with the heretic Mani-chean Fortunatus once his school-mate.
. Augustine in ecstasy talks to St. Jerome.
. Exequies of the Saint.