SanGimignano1300

SanGimignano1300 is an artistic and historical museum located in the old city of San Gimignano, Italy. Inaugurated in February 2010, the museum centers on the medieval history of the town, offering an immersive educational recreation of San Gimignano at its zenith in the year 1300. Its primary purpose is to bridge seven centuries of history, allowing visitors to understand the urban layout, architecture, and societal dynamics of the 14th-century independent commune. In 2011, the museum received the patronage of the National Italian UNESCO Commission in recognition of the elevated formative value of its educational program, History, Art, and Tradition.

The SanGimignano1300 project was conceptualized in the mid-2000s by brothers Michelangelo and Raffaello Rubino, master ceramicists who aimed to blend historical research with artisanal craftsmanship. Extensive historical, architectural, and technical research preceded the construction phase, with consultants including Raffaello Razzi and Lorenzo Giglioli, and institutional support from the Province of Siena and the Tuscany Region. The construction required over 20,000 hours of labor by a team of architects, historians, and ceramic artisans. The museum officially opened to the public in February 2010 in the complex of the former Palazzo Gamucci and Palazzo Ficarelli. In late 2013, the main exhibition was moved from its initial vaulted ground floor location into a backyard area, which exposed the model to weather and public wear, causing visible damage to its base and coloring. By 2014, the exhibition was dismantled, relocated to a renovated old church in the center of San Gimignano, and partly restored.

The museum spans 800 square meters and is subdivided into ten main galleries. The exhibition focuses on the historical and artistic aspects of San Gimignano during the Middle Ages. It provides in-depth explorations of the Via Francigena and medieval pilgrimage routes, alongside reconstructions of daily urban and rural life dedicated to the arts and professions of the era. The collection includes dioramas depicting everyday life both inside and outside the city walls, featuring peasants, craftsmen, and detailed architectural elements like defensive tower entrances. The museum also incorporates multimedia and sensory elements, including ambient sounds of medieval town life and lighting effects that simulate the cycle of day and night.

The centerpiece of the museum is a 1:100 scale ceramic model of San Gimignano as it appeared in the 14th century. Entirely handmade by the Rubino brothers, the 27-square-meter diorama features over 800 buildings, including 72 towers, and over 200 figurines depicting inhabitants engaged in daily activities. Over a ton of clay from nearby Montelupo was used, baked once and painted with natural pigments. Other significant holdings include a ceramic reproduction of the Monteriggioni castle, and a reconstruction of the Convent of San Francesco, which was demolished in the 16th century to expand city fortifications, inaugurated in January 2011. The museum also holds a three-dimensional revisitation of the fresco by Memmo di Filipuccio in the Palazzo del Podestà, and a series of original watercolors by Enrico Guerrini depicting important moments in the history of the territory from Etruscan times to the present.

The museum was originally housed in the thoroughly restored rooms of the Palazzo Gamucci, which later served as the Convent of the Sisters of Saint Catherine, joined with the Palazzo Ficarelli. In 2013 and 2014, the exhibition, shop, and workshop were moved from this original complex to their present location in a renovated old church in the very center of San Gimignano. The current exhibition space is a large, stone-walled room equipped with specialized lighting and sound systems to enhance the immersive experience of the historical dioramas.

SanGimignano1300 is located in the historic center of San Gimignano, Italy. Following its relocation in 2013 and 2014, the museum shifted its entrance fee structure to a donation-based model, with donation boxes present instead of ticket charges. Audio guides are available in multiple languages, and staff or guides are present to provide detailed information about the exhibits, including the histories of specific towers like the Torre Rognosa and the Twin Towers. The museum serves as an educational starting point for tourists exploring the UNESCO World Heritage site, providing context for the remaining 14 towers of the modern town.