Only 14 out of 72 ancient towers of medieval San Gimignano survived to the present day. Thanks to them, we can still marvel at the unmistakable silhouette of the most celebrated Italian medieval village of all. The remaining towers include the one that belonged to the Campatellis, a family of Florentine entrepreneurs and landowners who, from the early 19th century, associated their name with the 28-meter-high tower-house erected in the mid-12th century. This is the only tower that has retained the original single volume of the construction, being completely hollow inside.
The family purchased the entire complex and turned it into an Haute Bourgeoisie residence that is still intact thanks to Lydia Campatelli, who in 2005 left the house to FAI to be opened to the public.
The visitor experience begins with an evocative video, projected onto the walls of the attic, that covers the history, identity, and legends of San Gimignano, which is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Then, on the piano nobile, furnished with original pieces that have been complemented with great care, you will enter the daily life of the house owners – a world suspended in the past, amid photographs, private memories, objets d'art and collections, including Montelupo pottery and paintings by Guido Peyron, a renowned Florentine artist and Lidya’s uncle. A visit to the Campatelli Tower-House is a journey back in time, set against more than 1000 years of history.
The ticket includes entrance to the House and a multimedia projection on the history of San Gimignano
