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Church · San Gimignano, Toscana
Collegiata di Santa Maria Assunta
The main church of San Gimignano, with a simple façade and an interior entirely covered in 14th-century frescoes depicting scenes from the Old and New Testaments.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
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About Collegiata di Santa Maria Assunta
The Collegiata di Santa Maria Assunta, also called the duomo, was consecrated in 1148. It is not a cathedral, since San Gimignano does not have a bishop, but it is the town's main church. The simple stone façade at the top of a staircase in the Piazza del Duomo gives no hint of what is inside.
The interior is covered in frescoes. In the left nave, Bartolo di Fredi painted, in the 14th century, scenes from the Old Testament, from the Creation to Job. In the right nave, the New Testament scenes are attributed to the workshop of Lippo Memmi. On the entrance wall, Taddeo di Bartolo painted the Last Judgment, with Paradise and Hell, and the martyrdom of Saint Sebastian is the work of Benozzo Gozzoli.
At the back of the right nave, the chapel of Santa Fina, designed by Giuliano da Maiano, contains frescoes by Domenico Ghirlandaio, from around 1475, about the life of the young local saint. Ghirlandaio also painted the Annunciation in the loggia of the adjacent courtyard.
The Collegiata is part of the museum circuit and has its own ticket or is included in the pass that covers the museums of San Gimignano. As a place of worship, appropriate clothing is required and silence should be kept during services.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
30 to 45 minutes.
Best time
Right at opening, before the tour groups arrive. On Sunday mornings and at mass times the tourist visit is limited: check in advance.
How to get there
It is located in the Piazza del Duomo, in the center, next to the Piazza della Cisterna, about a 5-minute walk from the Porta San Giovanni.
Tip
The San Gimignano Pass includes the Collegiata, the Musei Civici with the Torre Grossa and other sites, and is valid for three days. Shoulders and knees must be covered to enter.
Official website
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Collegiata di Santa Maria Assunta
Is the Collegiata the cathedral of San Gimignano?
Not exactly. It is the main church and is also called the duomo, but San Gimignano is not a bishopric, which is why it is known as the Collegiata.
What should you not miss in the Collegiata?
The frescoes of the Old Testament by Bartolo di Fredi, those of the New Testament, the Last Judgment by Taddeo di Bartolo, and the chapel of Santa Fina, with frescoes by Ghirlandaio.
Is there an admission fee?
Yes. There is a separate ticket and also the San Gimignano Pass, which includes the Collegiata and the Musei Civici.
Do you need appropriate clothing?
Yes. It's a working church: shoulders and knees must be covered.