The historic village of San Miniato

San Miniato is a small town in the province of Pisa. It stands on a hill 150 meters above the level and in ancient times it was of great importance due to its position halfway between Pisa and Florence, near the Arno river and crossed by the Via Francigena. Dominating the village is the Torre di Federico which in the past had military purposes and from which you have a splendid view of the surrounding valleys. The heart of the town is Piazza del Seminario with its imposing building in which the most important virtues such as Patience, Constance, Modesty and Generosity are represented, accompanied by captions that served as instructions for use. In front of the Seminary there is a staircase that leads to the upper part of the town. Here you can admire other historic buildings such as the Cathedral with its splendid façade in which ceramics are set, arranged to represent a celestial map. The covered streets are also very suggestive, such as the Via Angelica which crosses the Convent of San Domenico. Another place to visit is the Carbonaia inside which there are three interesting chapels. A curiosity: Napoleon Bonaparte had origins in San Miniato and even came here twice to find his uncle.