Benozzo Gozzoli’s fresco cycle was commissioned by the prior Domenico Strambi to celebrate the Saint's life.
The church interior features a series of paintings illustrating the education of Saint Augustine in Milan.
The high altar contains a marble shrine dedicated to Saint Bartholomew, which previously resided in the Duomo.
The church was built specifically to house the Augustinian order, which had arrived in San Gimignano in the 13th century.
The choir frescoes represent one of the most complete narrative cycles of the Renaissance period in Tuscany.
The pavement contains several 14th-century gravestones of local noble families.
Sebastian Mainardi contributed a fresco cycle in the Chapel of Saint Fina located within the church complex.
The building's brick exterior is a hallmark of late 13th-century Tuscan religious architecture.
The Chiesa di Sant'Agostino in San Gimignano is defined by its 17-part fresco cycle depicting the life of Saint Augustine, painted by Benozzo Gozzoli between 1464 and 1465. The church, constructed between 1280 and 1298, maintains a Romanesque-Gothic architectural profile. The high altar houses a notable wood-carved altar by Benedetto da Maiano, commissioned in 1492. Other significant interior works include frescoes by Pier Francesco Fiorentino and a painting by Pollaiuolo. The building is constructed primarily of brick, reflecting the local Sienese architectural tradition. It functions as an active Catholic church and remains part of an Augustinian convent complex. The apse contains the primary cycle of paintings, which serve as a narrative biography of the saint's life. The interior space is notable for its vaulted ceilings and original architectural proportions.
The central nave looking toward the high altar captures the expansive scale of the frescoes.
Bring a few coins for the light box to illuminate the frescoes in the choir area.
Walk the entire perimeter of the nave to observe the varied side chapels and smaller altarpieces.
Visit during the shoulder seasons to avoid peak crowd levels in the narrow streets leading to the church.
Do not enter during ongoing religious services or ceremonies.
Modest clothing covering shoulders and knees is required; maintain silence as it is an active place of worship.
