San Gimignano, Siena, Italy 4 Aug 2024

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 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

A cantilevered window to the past
Pastel perfection
4 Aug 2025Great grey owls in their nest, Finland

More Desktop Wallpapers:

19 Apr 2026Anne Hathaways cottage, Stratford-upon-Avon, England
Doves of peace
A triumphant pose
10 Apr 2026Black grouse males, Estonia
Sway with the Amazonian canopy
23 Jun 2025Elbe river in Dresden, Saxony, Germany
10 Jun 2025Everglades National Park, Florida, United States
21 Oct 2024Cypress trees in George L Smith State Park, Georgia, United States
16 Jul 2025Temple of Philae, Aswan, Egypt
30 Apr 2025International Jazz Day
14 May 2024Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Protecting the gentle giants
Beauty beyond imagination
11 Mar 2026Peach trees in Cieza, Murcia, Spain
24 Sep 2024Skaftafell, Vatnajökull National Park, Iceland
7 Jul 2024Rice terraces of Mù Cang Chải, Yên Bái province, Vietnam
27 Mar 2024World Theatre Day
What are these colorful insects?
Just a pinch
22 Oct 2023Red grouse
Aug 21, 2023Discovery Day in Yukon, Canada
28 Apr 2025Impala in Moremi Game Reserve, Botswana
12 Nov 2024Arches National Park, Utah, United States
Black sands in a tropical paradise
20 Dec 2023Val Gardena, South Tyrol, Dolomites, Italy
A mirror reflecting natures beauty
15 Jul 2025Perseid meteor shower over Nevada, United States
An island park
Sanctuary among the trees
24 Oct 2025Night view of the RMS Queen Mary, Long Beach, California, United States