What are some perfectly preserved medieval towns that are like stepping back in time? Here are a few... 🧵

Feb 27, 2024 · 4:24 PM UTC

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1. Monteriggioni, Italy Italy's most intact walled medieval settlement. Except for some 16th century restorations, almost no work has been done since these structures were built in 1219.
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2. San Gimignano, Italy Medieval Italy is perhaps best known for its towers. San Gimignano once had over 70 of them, not 14. They were built in competitive spirit with one another - families that built the tallest won the greatest status.
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And Bologna was once the "Manhattan of the Middle Ages", with a skyline of around 200 towers - mostly around 25m but some as high as 100m.
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3. Visby, Gotland, Sweden Scandinavia's best preserved medieval trading town, belonging to the Hanseatic League. The 13th century form has been kept remarkably well, largely without sprawling beyond its 3.5km of original limestone walls.
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4. Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany A Bavarian imperial city of perfect half-timbered homes, largely sparred from WW2 damage. Maybe Europe's most beautiful medieval town, it's encircled by an imposing 14th-century wall.
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5. York, England York has the most intact medieval walls in England, and some of the best-kept medieval streets anywhere. The reason this street (the "Shambles") was built so narrow was to keep the meat being sold in shopfronts out of direct sunlight.
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6. Carcassonne, France Europe's largest medieval fortress is this walled citadel - one which (as legend has it) withstood the siege of Charlemagne, who wanted the city for himself. The medieval walls (extensively restored later on) are straight from a fairytale.
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7. Český Krumlov, Czech Republic A fairytale town that perfectly encapsulates the ideal city of the middle ages - a maze of narrow, twisting alleyways and a 13th century hilltop castle.
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8. The Old City of Sana’a, Yemen One outside of Europe: Yemen's Middle Age "skyscraper" city - more than 6,000 homes built before the 11th century are still standing today.
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9. Mont-Saint-Michel, France A tidal island commune in Normandy, sometimes known as the wonder of the Western world. The abbey was completed in the Late Middle Ages, but a church of some form has crowned the mount for over 1,000 years.
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Did I miss any?!
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Dante mentioned Monteriggioni in the Canto XXXI of the Inferno, using the towers of this stunning medieval village to evoke the sight of the ring of giants encircling the Infernal abyss: As with circling round Of turrets, Monteriggioni crowns his walls; E’en thus the shore, encompassing the abyss, Was turreted with giants, half their length Uprearing, horrible, whom Jove from heaven Yet threatens, when his muttering thunder rolls.
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Nördlingen in Bavaria
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Nuremberg's old town centers around its well-preserved medieval castle--the former seat of power for the Holy Roman Empire. Highly recommend checking it out.
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Today in History
@TodayinHistory
27 Feb 2024
I would also include Bruges in Belgium! An extremely well-preserved medieval town known as the Venice of the North.
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What do you think of Bruges? It is a very beautiful town! The “Venice of the North.” It’s canals, cobbled streets, and medieval architecture has earned it to be a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Markt and Belfry in Bruges, Belgium Wolfgang Staudt [1] • CC BY 2.0

ALT The Markt and Belfry in Bruges, Belgium Wolfgang Staudt [1] • CC BY 2.0

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Toledo, Spain might just be the best preserved Medieval city in the world. From the Alcazar to the Medieval Cathedral to El Greco's art, it was my favorite hidden gem to visit:
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Shambles is one of York's most famous landmarks and one of the best preserved medieval shopping streets in Europe. With its cobbled streets and overhanging buildings, it is believed to have been the inspiration behind Diagon Alley from the movie adaptation of the Harry Potter series
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🏰 Besalú. Tucked away in the Catalonia region, Besalú is a medieval town with a beautifully preserved Romanesque bridge, cobbled streets, and well-preserved buildings.
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Monteriggioni is like stepping back in time
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Colmar France is like stepping back in time 500 years. Half-timber houses, beautiful Chistmas markets, and canals have all preserved that medieval feel.
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Great thread! I believe Tallinn in Estonia Deserves a mention!
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There is also the incredible medieval town square of Krakow.
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The pristine and clear waters of Rio Sucuri river, Brazil 🇧🇷
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Monteriggioni is like stepping back in time
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Also, Erbil in Kurdistan as it’s the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world (between 6,000~ to 8,000~ years of history.
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Buitrago del Lozoya, Madrid, Spain, Complete surrounding wall still in place. XV century aprox. – at Madrid, Spain
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And there's Oxford, a town whose history traces back to Saxon times, although evidence suggests there were settlements even earlier. The University of Oxford was founded 928 years ago. It also has one of the oldest botanical gardens in the world...
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Spring in Switzerland
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Assisi is rather magnificent!
Assisi, Umbria, photograph taken by the author.

ALT Assisi, Umbria, photograph taken by the author.

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Another one:
Michael Kao
@UrbanKaoboy
13 Jan 2024
Musings of the Day, 1/13/24: Civita di Bagnoregio has a population of 11, and was originally inhabited by the Etruscans.
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DaVinci
@BiancoDavinci
27 Feb 2024
Constantinople/Istanbul
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Fougères, France
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La Couvertoirade, medieval Templar village in France
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St Malo, France
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St Paul de Vence, France
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