San Gimignano, Siena Tuscany, Italy Jul 30, 2024

San Gimignano, Siena Tuscany, Italy

These medieval towers stand tall over San Gimignano, a small town near Siena in north central Italy. In the Middle Ages, a town grew up around a church dedicated to St. 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, 2018Children at play for International Day of Friendship
Jul 30, 2019A long, erratic commute
Jul 30, 2020International Day of Friendship
Jul 30, 2021Working for that cliffside view
Jul 30, 2022Milford Sound/Piopiotahi rainforest in New Zealand
Jul 30, 2023Palouse farmland, Washington state
Jul 30, 2025International Day of Friendship

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Oct 9, 2021Birds of a feather
Dec 9, 2020It s Computer Science Education Week
Jan 23, 2021A sleeping green giant
Apr 20, 2018No, it s not a leaf. Happy Look-alike Day
Jan 12, 2021Sailing on thick ice
May 18, 2024International Museum Day
Oct 26, 2018A notorious gunfight that was incorrectly named
Oct 20, 2020Reflecting on fall
Jul 18, 2019A learning garden
Mar 4, 2019The eloquence of elephants
Nov 23, 2023Happy Thanksgiving!
Dec 11, 2024International Mountain Day
Jan 30, 2018Watson Lake in Granite Dells, Arizona
May 8, 2020Victory in Europe, 75 years ago
Dec 31, 20193, 2, 1 … Happy New Year!
Feb 23, 2018Aerial view of the Colorado River Delta in Mexico
Dec 31, 2021New Year s Eve
Feb 28, 2024Bamburgh Castle, Northumberland, England
Aug 27, 2025World Lake Day in the Faroe Islands
Jun 4, 2023Waiānapanapa State Park, Maui, Hawaii
May 16, 20193,000 years of history
Apr 7, 2025Happy International Beaver Day!
Jan 15, 2023Aura River in Turku, Finland
Nov 23, 2021Fibonacci Day
Jul 9, 2020High alpine color in Colorado
Sep 17, 2025A young bull moose in Denali National Park, Alaska
May 23, 2018Everybody loves World Turtle Day
Jun 12, 2021In Texas, even the riverbend is big
Dec 12, 2021Wicker fields in Cañamares, Spain
Jan 9, 2018Great Fountain Geyser, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming