The towers of San Gimignano by sim1
The towers of San Gimignano have amazed me since the first time I saw them. There are only 14 of the original 72 towers left. I just can't imagine having 72 towers in such a small town; it must have been amazing to see. The towers reflect a period in Italian history when neighbours were particularly quarrelsome and a person's house really was their castle. The noble families built stone house towers, competing with each other for the most impressive. And of course these fortified towers were also a good defence against invasions.
