San Gimignano, Siena, Italy Jul 30, 2024

These medieval towers stand tall over San Gimignano, a small town near Siena in north central Italy. In the Middle Ages, the town grew up around a church dedicated to Saint Geminianus—San Gimignano in Italian. As well as being a popular stop for pilgrims on their way to Rome, the town prospered thanks to its trade in local Vernaccia wine and in saffron, which is grown in the nearby hills. However, when the Black Death struck in 1348, half the population was lost, slowing the town"s development and preserving its medieval character to this day.

© MNStudio/Shutterstock

palette

Today in History

Jul 30, 2025Ribadesella, Asturias, Spain

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Feb 9, 2025Alstrom Point, Lake Powell, United States
Apr 6, 2026Hirosaki Castle with cherry blossoms, Hirosaki, Japan
Nov 14, 2023Russell lupines, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand
Mar 27, 2026Maligne Lake, Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada
May 28, 2025Sea otter
May 5, 2024Colonnade in San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico
May 30, 2025Little Pigeon River, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, United States
Aug 5, 2025Tide pools in La Jolla, California, United States
Feb 14, 2026Bleeding hearts
Jan 23, 2024Maldives
Aug 26, 2023Berlin Cathedral and Museum Island, Berlin, Germany
Dec 9, 2024Two guanacos, Torres del Paine National Park, Chile
Oct 27, 2023Sligachan Old Bridge, Isle of Skye, Scotland
Oct 23, 2023Corn maze in Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania, USA
Feb 18, 2025The Great Blue Hole, Belize
May 14, 2025Porto Flavia, Sulcis-Iglesiente, Sardinia, Italy
Aug 16, 2024Roller coaster in Nagashima Spa Land, Mie Prefecture, Japan
Feb 22, 2026Mam Tor, Derbyshire, England
Dec 19, 2024Sibiu Christmas Market, Romania
May 8, 2025Donkeys in a valley near Rhyolite, Nevada, United States
May 24, 2024Añisclo gorge, Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park, Spain
Jun 13, 2024Registan Square, Samarkand, Uzbekistan
Jul 6, 2025Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes in Death Valley National Park, United States
Apr 30, 2026Keukenhof Gardens, Lisse, Netherlands
Feb 17, 2024The Pragser Wildsee in the Dolomites, Italy
Apr 16, 2024Union Square, Manhattan, New York, USA
Dec 6, 2024Helsinki, Finland
Mar 15, 2024Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California, USA
Dec 2, 2025Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, United States
Sep 13, 2024Point Reyes National Seashore