Cugnanesi Tower
One of the oldest and tallest towers in San Gimignano is the famous Torre dei Cugnanesi, located in a charming little square between Via San Giovanni and Via del Quercecchio, very close to the city walls. The tower and the palace of the same name date back to the 13th century and at the time were both part of the defensive apparatus of the Arco dei Becci, one of the ancient city gates. Owned by the Ghibelline family of Cugnanesi, the tower is the only one in all of San Gimignano to have been built outside the first wall erected to defend the historic town. The building is easily recognizable by a series of brick corbels, found on the stone facade, that support the gallery. At the rear corner of the building is an important find in the history of San Gimignano; a bastion that was part of the first town wall.