Open the left menu of Arezzo. Bishop's Palace of Arezzo. things to do in Arezzo

Arezzo is an amazing city!
It penetrates the soul immediately
and does not want to give up the place of his beloved city to anyone ...
It would seem - narrow streets, lovely squares,
peace and quiet - what is surprising? And here!
No wonder Tuscan landscapes and time-breathing palazzos
beat all rivals at the Oscars
Life is Beautiful by Roberto Benigni
filmed in Arezzo...

I confess that it is incredibly difficult to describe Italian cities - the density of beauty is so high and cultural property per square meter, and the region is immensely rich in history. But how to describe what you cannot express in words - an amazing feeling of peace and serenity that captures you when you walk along these streets? So I don't know...

The town on the hills is unusually picturesque, the sun hid behind the clouds, the famous Tuscan clouds, transparent with a lilac tint. Saturday, spoons and plates clink in the open windows of houses - a traditional Italian family dinner. Quietly, only doves tease: "on-tash-ka, on-tash-ka." Occasionally a motorcycle rumbles. There are no tourists. The streets climb up at an unthinkable angle, old people stand at the doors of taverns. Again the dishes rattle and smell appetizing. The views are stunningly good ... All this is called Arezzo.

Story

"Beautiful place!" - the primitive man must have exclaimed, appreciating the beauty of the local landscapes and the fertile land, and immediately founded a camp here. Later, the Etruscans created a city here, which by the 4th century. BC. was part of the federation of 12 Etruscan cities, and was one of the main cities in the Apennines - "the capital of the Etruscans" called Arezzo Titus Livius. Now, from the ancient Etruscan city, the remains of the fortress wall, the ruins of the necropolis at Poggio del Sole, as well as the bronze sculptures of the Chimera of Arezzo and Minerva, which were found in the 16th century and immediately taken to the Florentine Archaeological Museum, have been preserved. True, a copy of the Chimera welcomes tourists who arrived in Arezzo by train, and a copy of Minerva stands on one of the city streets.

Under the Romans, who captured it in 311 BC, the city of Arretium grew greatly: new walls, baths, a theater, an amphitheater were built; Arezzo became the third largest Roman city. In the 5th century, the city fell under the rule of the Lombards, then the Franks, after the collapse of the Frankish state, it was revived again. To a large extent, this was facilitated by the canonization of the Bishop of Aretina Donato, who was martyred in 304 and became the patron saint of the city under the name of San Donato. In the XI century. Arezzo turned into a virtually independent city-state under the rule of a bishop and a commune, in 1255 a university was founded in Arezzo - one of the first in Italy and Europe in general, in the XII-XIV centuries. here they built the same city that we saw ...

Aretina Republic in 1350

The long reign of the Ghibellines in Arezzo ended with their crushing defeat in the battle with the Guelphs at Campaldino (1289), significant territories were ceded to Florence and Siena, and soon the city lost its independence, fell under the rule of Florence and was included in the Grand Duchy of Tuscany. True, the townspeople were rebellious people and often raised uprisings: “In July 1502 - the year to which this story refers - Arezzo, a city subject to Florence, revolted and declared itself independent. Vitellozzo Vitelli, the most capable of the captains of El Valentino, the mortal enemy of the Florentines who executed his brother, and Baglioni, ruler of Perugia, defended the rebels and defeated the Florentine garrison. His remnants took refuge in the citadel. In a panic, the Signoria sent Piero Soderini, acting President of the Republic, to Milan to hasten the dispatch of the four hundred cavalrymen promised by King Louis. The order was also given to the troops of the Signoria, who had been besieging Pisa for a long time, to speak in Arezzo, but the citadel fell shortly before their arrival. Somerset Maugham "Then and Now"

Starting from the 17th century. Arezzo finally became provincial town, which from time to time flashed in European history - either it was occupied by Napoleonic troops, or in 1860 it became part of the united Italy. For the heroism shown by the inhabitants of Arezzo in the resistance movement, in 1984 the city was awarded a gold medal. Today, the main branch of Arezzo's economy is the production of jewelry. Here is the largest factory in the world for the production of gold products.

In terms of the number of great people born in these Tuscan lands, Arezzo is second only to Florence. First of all, it is worth mentioning the legendary Maecenas (Gaius Cylnius (70-8 BC)), the sponsor of the ancient poets Virgil and Horace, whose name has become a household name in all languages of the world.

Also born here:
* Francesco Petrarca (1304-1374), humanist and writer, who not only wrote poetry, but also actively engaged in scientific activities. Connoisseur ancient culture, Petrarch devoted his whole life to deciphering ancient manuscripts.
* Guido d "Arezzo / Guido Monaco (997-1050), a reforming musician who created a system of musical notation and came up with the names of notes that have come down to our time.
*Giorgio Vasari (1512-1574), court painter and architect of the Medici family. He owns the authorship of the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Piazza Dei Cavalieri in Pisa, the design of Piazza Grande in Arezzo ... But his greatest merit to posterity lies in his book "Le Vite de" piu eccelenti Pittori, Scultori e Architetti "(Lives of the most famous painters , sculptors and architects), which was completed in 1550, and the second supplemented edition with portraits of famous artists was published in 1568. This work contains so much precious information for our time that, if it did not exist, then in history Italian art would be a big gap.
*Italian fresco masters Spinello Aretino, Pietro Aretino, and the magnificent Piero della Francesca, whose incredible frescoes are Arezzo's contribution to Renaissance art.

City walks

The old city of Arezzo, like a precious pearl, hides completely in the "shell" - the city walls, which are mostly preserved. As usual, we begin the conquest of the city with a roundabout maneuver from the right flank, and our strategic calculation is correct - the tourist office house is just to the right, a few steps from the station. And across the road, right in the fountain, we are met by the famous Chimera of Arezzo - a fabulous monster with two heads, preserved from Etruscan times (of course, a copy).

Along a small boulevard from it, we reach the Bastioni di S. Spirito, pass through this symbolic gate, and a few minutes later we are standing in front of the S. Bernardo monastery, which was built on the ruins of a Roman amphitheater (the arched loggia of the monastery even repeats the elliptical shape of the ancient arena).

Romano amphitheater

The Roman amphitheater was erected in Arezzo in the 1st-2nd centuries. AD and is designed for 8-10 thousand spectators. The size of this arena testifies to the importance of the city in the Roman Empire. Here, battles were held not only between gladiators and animals, but also entire "sea" battles were played out. The monastery was built here in 1647, and in 1937 the Archaeological Museum was opened in the building of the monastery, naming it after Gaius Cylnius Maecenas, the first adviser to Emperor Augustus - his bust meets you at the entrance to the museum. The entrance is located on the side of the church of St. Bernardo, dating from the 14th century, destroyed during the Second World War and rebuilt after the war. The museum stores Etruscan mirrors, figurines, coins, vases, mosaic fragments, funerary urns… Not for everybody.

Sant Agostino

Along Via Margaritone, we come to S.Agostino Square, crowded with cars, above which rises the church of Sant Agostino (1257) of an extremely ascetic appearance, it is slightly enlivened only by a campanile with a peaked roof (XV century).

Inside, on the contrary, there is a beautiful decoration in the Rococo style. To the north of this church are 4 other beautiful churches: San Gimignano, San Maddalena, San Michele and San Niccolò.

San Gimignano

The church of San Gimignano, which we visited first, was built in the 8th century, and was thoroughly rebuilt during the Medici period and in 1804. Inside, the multicolored marble altar adorned with pearls and colorful murals by the Neapolitan master Tommazo Fasano and local native Sebastiano Pontenani are worth a look. Opposite are two impregnable, stocky residential towers, in the loophole windows of which white curtains look somewhat ridiculous, and on the upper level of one of them there is even a small balcony with wicker chairs and flower pots.

The streets of Arezzo are unique! Detached houses have stone “barrels” and light facades, courtyards are protected from prying eyes by two-meter-high solid stone walls, houses on the streets are crowded together, forming picturesque streets, the authenticity of which is somewhat disturbed by cars and motorcycles parked next to the houses. And above all this, the smell of pastries and olive oil hovers, dissolving in transparent Tuscan clouds…

Rushing east, we stomped to the gates of Porta Trento e Trieste and turned back again. Perhaps, from the point of view of logic, our route may seem somewhat confused, but it is in a certain disorder of wandering through the streets that there is the charm of walking through Italian cities ... We climb higher and higher along street after street, those houses and churches that we admired half an hour ago, remained far below. The old men at the doors of the trattorias pensively follow us with their eyes: wow, tourists ...

Santa Croce

A little further from the city wall stands the amazing Santa Croce church, which seems to have an octagon built into it. It dates back to the 12th century, but has not survived to this day - in 1944 it was destroyed by direct bombing. Only this very octahedron remained, the shape of which is not accidental - the church was built on the site of a pagan temple of the 2nd century BC. BC, which had the same shape. The ancient temple existed until the 6th century (Christianity had already gained strength, but the popes had not yet told the kings and rulers of cities what to do). Inside the church is simple, small, the altar, entirely made of gray stone, is of interest. Standing inside the ancient walls, it is very easy to imagine how sacrifices were made on the altar in Roman times…

San Lorenzo and Sant Agnes

Entering back into the city limits, we walked along a strange street: lush flowers were planted along the remains of the wall, there were fragments of columns and a statue resembling Athena (Minerva).

The street leads to Piazza Alberti, where on one side stands the church of San Lorenzo, and on the other, a 14th-century palazzo with an asymmetrical facade, breathing antiquity. It's amazing how many ancient palaces have been preserved in the city! The palazzo crowds the palazzo, according to my estimate, 3/4 of the houses in the old city are palazzo. Well, how many nobles were in the city!

At first I diligently photographed each facade and a sign with information hanging on it (so as not to forget what it was called), then I photographed only the most (in my opinion) important ones, like the house of Petrarch or Vasari, and then we just gave up on all this splendor, and admired it thoughtlessly, walking through the streets in the rain ...

But now we are still standing in front of the church of San Lorenzo, which is famous for the fact that in 1541 a bronze statue of the goddess Minerva (as Greek Athena was called in Roman mythology) was found under it - a masterpiece of Etruscan sculpture of the 3rd century BC. BC, the original is now kept in Archaeological Museum Florence, and a copy stands along the wall where we have just passed. In the 16th century, the church was the temple of the guild of millers and bakers, and in 1631 they chipped in together and paid Bernardino Santini, who decorated the church with frescoes that have survived to this day.

A little further up the street, on a hill, to which the stairs lead, stands the church of Sant Agnese, surrounded by cypress trees directed upwards and decorated on the outside only with a stained-glass window and a gilded mosaic portal in the best Byzantine tradition, depicting St. Agnes and two angels. From the ancient church, rebuilt in 1200, only huge foundation stones have survived. The murals inside were made in the 17th century by Bernardino Santini and Domenico Ermini.

San Niccolo and around

We go deeper into the city, guided by a high tower with a jagged edge. The churches of San Bartolomeo and San Niccolò stand in a small square surrounded by ancient palazzos.

The square is mysterious and unexpected: an old house or even a tower is hidden behind every turn, here and there on the walls of the 15th century. standing flower pots,

the palazzo is decorated with endless rows of ropes with linen, a passage to the next street is found in a seemingly dead corner, and the facade of the church, which seemed small and rooted into the ground, on the next street turns into tall church walls. This is San Niccolo, built in 1000. In 1263, two bells by master Giovanni da Pisa were cast here. The church has been well preserved due to the fact that the church was first under the patronage of the Camaldoli monastery, then under the patronage of the Jiratachi family, then under the patronage of the local bishop.

Santa Maria Maddalena and San Michele

The nearby Santa Maria Maddalena has an image of the Madonna giving a rose to the Christ child. The fresco was so revered by the people of Arezzo that when the old Cathedral, where it was kept, a piece of the wall, along with the fresco, was carefully broken out and solemnly brought into the city to the church dedicated to the Madonna.

closer to main street Corso Italia in a small cozy square stands the Church of San Michele - both strict and elegant at the same time. Simple masonry gives austerity, elegance - carving that adorns the top and the entrance portal. The church dedicated to St. Michael, revered by Lombards, who is depicted on the mosaic portal, was built in the 7th-8th centuries, and rebuilt in gothic style in the thirteenth century

Suddenly we hear a noise and we go out onto a busy street - that's where all the tourists were hiding! In the distance, like the mast of a sailboat, we can see the campanile of the Pieve di Santa Maria church, and we are heading for it past the shores formed by the palazzo of noble Guelph families.

Piazza Grande and around

We have probably never seen such an unusual church as Santa Maria della Pieve! The facade from the side of the street is framed by several galleries, decorated with many different columns, the higher, the closer they are to each other. There are 12 columns on the first tier, 24 on the second, and 32 on the third. The church was built in the 12th-13th centuries. on the foundations of an ancient Roman pagan temple, and some of the columns are clearly of the same origin. The Romanesque bell tower was completed in 1330. The church surprisingly resembles architectural masterpieces Lucca or Pisa - probably the master, whose name has not been preserved, was from those places. But the author of the relief on the portal left his autograph - "Marchio, 1216" - carved forever. Inside the church, the relics of St. Donato, the patron saint of the city, are kept; you can look at the altar created by Vasari in 1564 for the chapel where members of his family are buried; on a marble font and paintings.

Opposite the church on Corso Italia stands a palazzo richly decorated with coats of arms throughout the facade, this Palazzo Pretorio, residence of the captain of the city militia until 1290. The coats of arms belong to the captains, podestas and military commissars of the city from the 14th to the 18th centuries. Two authentic towers have been preserved in the courtyard. On the contrary, in the depths of the square you can see the remains of another residence of the captains, destroyed when the city passed under the hand of the Medici. Closer to the church is the 14th century Palazzo Camaiani-Albergotti with the Torre della Bigazza tower.

And finally, we came to Piazza Grande. What can I say? This is the most unrealistic and beautiful square I have ever seen! Moreover, it attracts not with some special majesty or harmony, but precisely with its disorderliness, bright coats of arms, which are hung in houses of different heights (the cutest ones are only two windows wide) and jagged towers surrounding the square, with a charming inclination and unique authenticity. And somehow imperceptibly in the memory Arezzo displaces all the Tuscan cities seen .... It is incomprehensible to the mind how it was possible to make the main square in the city, which is tilted at an angle of 30 degrees? How, for example, were any solemn processions or knightly tournaments held here? But monthly antique fairs still manage to be held here. So I can imagine how boards are slipped under some old chest of drawers or a piano - so that it does not roll away briskly to the other end of the square.

Weddings in a medieval setting are especially tender. In the center of the square, the bride in a beautiful ivory dress with a long train and the groom in a top hat and long frock coat pose at the column, then against the backdrop of the square. They are watched by all the tourists who were at that moment on the square. Probably, the photos of these same newlyweds ended up in several dozen countries!

In addition to the church of Pieve di Santa Maria, the square faces the facades of many palaces, all of the XIV-XVI centuries, with and without towers, including the Palazzo dei Priori, the city magistrate, built in 1333, with interior decoration - frescoes, busts of famous Aretinians, a stone statue of the Madonna and Child and two paintings by Vasari. Nearby is the episcopal palace of the 13th century, decorated inside with frescoes by local masters, and on the facade with the image of the Grand Duke Ferdinando I de Medici.

And finally, the Loggia Vasari with a spacious arched gallery, where there are countless cafe tables.

The construction of this palace was quite symbolic: the Medicis just finally took over Arezzo and in order to show who was the boss in the house, a number of medieval buildings were destroyed, including the ancient episcopal cathedral and the palace of the commune, and in their place the Medici court architect, Giorgio Vasari, erected a new palace. On the wall of the loggia hangs a sculptural portrait of the master. Interestingly, in the homeland of Tsereteli are his works?

Casa Petrarca

A short walk up from Piazza Grande is Casa Petrarca, the birthplace of the great poet. In general, all the houses where the Aretinians were born, which Arezzo is proud of, are marked with special “memorial” plaques - with images of bronze faces.

Opposite is the octagonal Tofano well, mentioned in Boccaccio's Decameron. The legend says that once lived in the city a wealthy citizen Tofano, whose young wife took a lover, whom she met in the evenings. The husband, having found out about this, decided to disgrace the unfaithful, and closed the door when his wife was on a date. Realizing that she was trapped, the insidious traitor immediately found a way out of the situation - grabbing a large stone, she threw it into the well. The husband, who was guarding under the door, heard a splash and decided that the wife, in order to avoid shame, drowned herself, he recklessly opened the front door and ran to the well, and the wife quickly ran into the house, in turn promptly locking the door. The smart lady immediately turned the situation against the unlucky husband, accusing him of being home drunk every evening. Needless to say, the neighbors who woke up from the noise took the side of their wife? Yes, if the men of Arezzo would have been so resourceful, the city would probably never have fallen under the rule of the Medici ...

Cathedral San Cathedral Donato

In the north of the city, high on a hillside, a cathedral appears in front of the traveler, built in the Gothic style in the 13th-16th centuries. The facade of the cathedral has not yet been completed. The interior contains frescoes by Piero della Francesca, stained-glass windows and the Gothic tomb of Bishop Guido Tarlati (Pope Gregory X) also deserve attention.

Opposite stands Palazzo Communale with tower and clock,

and behind the cathedral there is a small cozy park with a monument to Petrarch,

from where you can clearly see the surroundings of the city, vineyards and fields. From the park we go to

Fortezza Medicea

Even before the city was taken over by the Medici, there were three fortresses in it, and once built here, on the hill of San Donato, was the most important, because. defended the cathedral, the palazzo communal and other palaces of noble Ghibelline guys. The fortezza that we saw was built by the order of the new owner of the city, the Grand Duke of Tuscany Cosimo Medici, by the architect Antonio da Sangallo the Elder in 1560. It stood safely until the Napoleonic wars, as a result of which hot French guys pretty much destroyed it, and, probably, the citizens would have dismantled it for building materials, if not for patrons from the Fossombroni family, who bought it from the magistrate and preserved it for posterity. Positively, the land of Arezzo is rich in patrons. It is thanks to these wonderful people that the citadel even now looks like a formidable stronghold of the power of the great Tuscan duke…

When we, having admired the weddings, of which there were many in the park, approached the fortress, rain clouds jumped out from behind the hills, and we quickly dived into the arch with the coat of arms at the entrance. Cold corridors, dark passages, and here we are at the top, from where the city is visible at a glance.

A couple of kids and a tourist like us are wandering around the fortress. In a leisurely conversation about the film “Life is Beautiful”, which at that time I did not watch, we went around almost the entire wall, admiring the views, when suddenly something frightening and attractive at the same time appeared before our eyes ... Here's a cinematic pause for you to tense up in anticipation - what's next - and I will cynically start talking about the film .... No, I'm not so harmful. I just didn't understand what it was at first, but, having understood, I just froze. At the very walls of the citadel there was a city cemetery, and the fact that this is a cemetery, you understand later, but at first it seems that this is a bizarre town - some kind of ziggurat in the center, arched walls, and panel houses, which, upon closer examination, turned out to be burial cells ... and candles are burning in each cell, many, many candles ... All this comes into such a striking contrast with the Tuscan hills that it makes you shudder. The sadness of the cemetery is also given by cypress trees, planted around with mourning candles ...

San Domenico

Under heavy rain (of course, we left the umbrella in the hotel in the morning, judging that the sky is so clear that there can be no rain - and there was none - in Florence), sneaking under the porticos and awnings of the palazzo, we went to the church of San Sebastiano (San Sebastiano), where another travel agency is arranged right in the church,

and from there, already frankly splashing through the puddles, they stomped to the Basilica of San Domenico in one of the neighboring streets. Outside, in the rain, it looked strange: as if a child, playing, had broken off a piece of the top from the church and the bell tower. On the square in front of the basilica, the chairs are lonely getting wet and the wind rips off the poster - there was a concert recently.

In the morning there was a wedding - there was no soul in the church, but on the floor there was a half-rolled carpet path strewn with rice and flower petals, the altar was decorated with white roses, and bouquets of roses and strong-smelling lilies lay on the backs of the pews. Playful little hands you know who reached out to the bouquet - immediately squeeze the bourgeois bouquet, but no such luck! Bouquets are firmly tied (as if nailed) to the backs, I had to sit on a bench and take pictures hugging a bouquet :)

The basilica was built from 1275 and was completed only at the beginning of the 14th century. San Domenico was favored by noble families and personally Bishop Tarlati of Aretina, so many famous masters of that time applied their skills to the church. In his book Lives of the Most Famous Painters, Sculptors and Architects, Vasari claims that the project belonged to the great Nicola Pisano. The interior of the church is quite simple: the nave is a rectangle, the arches of the chapels are decorated with white and green marble, like the Baptistery of Florence. The wooden ceiling is so similar to that of the church of Santa Maria Novella in Florence (she will be the first to meet you if you come by train) that it supports the theory that both churches were finished by master monks from Florence, Brother Sisto and Brother Ristoro. The pearl of the interior is the crucifix by Cimabue - 1265-1270.

On the walls are the remains of frescoes by Spinello Aretino and Parri di Spinello. Behind the altar are antique stained-glass windows. Among the sculptures, it is worth seeing the 14th-century Madonna and the statue of St. Peter on the right wall of the school della Robia (a carved wooden "visor" was erected above it). It is a pity that for many centuries the church was forgotten and abandoned, and when a large-scale restoration was carried out in the 19th century, many frescoes could not be saved ...

Casa Vasari

House number 55 on Via XX Settembre (September 20) is known for the fact that in 1547 the then young architect and artist Giorgio Vasari bought the old palazzo, rebuilt it, painted it with frescoes and lived in it until 1574. The court architect of Duke Cosimo de Medici became known not only for his buildings, squares, frescoes and sculptures in many cities of Italy (Florence, Rome, Naples, Venice, Pisa, Bologna, Rimini and Perugia), but also for the fundamental work "Le Vite de" piu eccelenti Pittori, Scultori e Architetti "(Lives of the most famous painters, sculptors and architects). Now the house has a museum with archives of the 16th century, which at one time helped Vasari write his book.

Santa Maria in Gradi

On a small square, where an utterly authentic residential medieval tower, stands the church of Santa Maria in Gradi, built in the 11th-12th centuries, and rebuilt in the Baroque style by Bartolomeo Ammannati in the 16th century. Here, too, there was a wedding in the morning - the bouquets were also nailed, and the front pews were covered with embroidered bedspreads. The interior is decorated with bright frescoes, an altar with huge snow-white candles, and a terracotta relief of the Madonna by Andrea della Robia - its arches with lemons and leaves cannot be confused with anything.

By that time, the rain had stopped, the wind had blown from the mountains, and the temperature had dropped to 23-24 degrees. Probably, for the famous Tuscan vineyards, this weather is the most it, but I froze. Slapping my flip flops through the puddles, I was about to walk on barefoot, when suddenly we saw a small pizzeria. Hooray! Sitting on high stools on the threshold of the restaurant, dangling our legs and looking at the small street in the rain, we ate pizza. The body, having received its portion of carbohydrates, worked hard, warmed up and we crawled out to explore the city further. Having appreciated the churches of S. Benedetto, S. Lorentino, S.S. Annunziata, S. Guiseppino, S.S. Trinita Misericordia and S. Ignazio, we went to another square, where we were met

Badia delle SS. Flora and Lucilla

Founded and built in the 12th century by Benedictine monks, the church was rebuilt in the 16th century. led by Vasari. From the outside, the church looks strange: the strict Romanesque facade is in dissonance with the baroque octagonal bell tower (1650) and the dome, the entrance is shifted to the left and asymmetrical - as if the central entrance arch was greatly expanded on one side, and the builders forgot about the other side. Moreover, some extension on the left is clearly non-church purpose. Inside, the church is decorated in the style of Mannerism: the dome inside is painted by Andrea Pozzo, so much so that it seems like it is real (in Rome there is also a church with such a painting - San Ignacio). In addition to this brilliant hoax, look at the crucifix by Segna di Buonaventura (Segna di Buonaventura, 1319) and the fresco depicting St. Lawrence Bartolomeo della Gatta (Bartolomeo della Gatta, 1476).

San Francesco

The Basilica of San Francesco was built in the XIII-XIV centuries. in the Tuscan Gothic style. The facade of a gloomy kind of severe stone is decorated only with a large round window above the entrance. Inside, part of the space is available for a fee, part of the church is under restoration and you can walk there freely, but I think when it is restored, they will let you inside for 4-5 euros, no less - the frescoes that peek out from behind the forests are amazing .

The main value of the church is the Bacci Chapel with unique frescoes by Piero della Francesca. In 1453, the master received an order for frescoes and created what was recognized as his most famous work. The plot of the frescoes is the story of finding the life-giving tree of the Cross, on which Christ was crucified. “Two prophets are depicted on the back wall. The lunette of the right wall depicts the death of Adam, over whose grave a holy tree grows. Further - the Queen of Sheba, who came to Solomon, worships the Tree from which the threshold is made, seeing in it the image of the future Cross. The next episode is the vision of the Cross to Constantine and his victory over Maxentius. In the second tier of the left and rear wall, Empress Helen finds the Cross: she is shown the place where the crosses on which Christ and two robbers were executed are buried, and she miraculously learns on which of the three crosses Christ was crucified. The scenes of this famous fresco cycle do not constitute a strict chronological sequence, but are consistent with each other in meaning, establishing correspondences between various episodes in the history of finding the Cross. Since 1564, when the artist finished his work, all conceivable and unthinkable misfortunes fell on the frescoes: they were flooded, remade, used as a target, remade again ... In the 90s of the last century, art historians grabbed their heads and a grandiose restoration was announced, which continues this day.

At the very edge of the city, another masterpiece is worth a look - the church of S. Maria della Graces with a stunning Renaissance portico by Benedict Maiano (15th century)

The graceful town of pale ocher stone with Romanesque bell towers again disappeared under a wall of rain, and we decided that this weather was the best suited for departure. Having photographed the monument to Guido Monaco (the inventor of the music system) in the center of the round square near the station, we fled under the roof. Sitting on the platform, my husband thoughtfully studied the list of hotels in the city of Arezzo on the back of the map, and I, sitting on the bench and dangling my legs, thought that life is beautiful - the one and only!

Italy, Tuscany, July 2006

It is simply amazing to what extent modest Italian towns sometimes turn out to be, if not the center of the world, then at least the cradle of science, culture and art for many centuries. This is exactly what Tuscan Arezzo is - a charming old city with a lot of sights and memorable places of ancient and modern history. Let's start with the fact that it was here that they invented the thunderstorm and the torment of careless students of music schools - the science of solfeggio. This was done by the medieval Benedictine monk Guido with the logical surname d'Arezzo, who, for the convenience of recording music, came up with four lines of the stave and 7 note circles. Three centuries later, the main poet of Italy, Petrarch, was born in Arezzo, who not only “took his Laura, but on a horse”, but also popularized the genre of the sonnet, and in addition almost came up with a technique of parallel texts - he wrote poetry in Latin and Italian. A couple of centuries later, the painter Giorgio Vasari was “sent” to Arezzo, who created a special, Tuscan style of writing and enriched Italy with a dozen remarkable buildings. And finally, in our time, director Roberto Benigni honored the city with his attention - it was here that the life-affirming film Life is Beautiful was filmed, glorifying Arezzo with the Cannes Lion and three Oscars. What other arguments do you need in favor of visiting this wonderful city?

How to get to Arezzo

The closest airports to Arezzo are in Florence and Pisa. Arezzo is also connected by good rail links with Tuscan cities - best of all with Florence (1 hour and about 7-16 EUR); among other things, you can arrive here by train from Rome (2 hours 23 minutes and about 14-22 EUR). You can also come to the city by intercity bus from almost any locality in Italy.

Prices on the page are for September 2018.

Search for flights to Florence (nearest airport to Arezzo)

Transport in the city

The historic center of Arezzo can be easily explored on foot - the distances here are short and many pedestrian zones. Keep in mind that the city is located on a hill, so walking through it will require some physical effort. If you rent a car, you can leave it in one of the municipal parking lots at the entrances to the Old Town (12 EUR for the whole day) and make the further journey on your own two feet.

In Arezzo, you can walk through the filming locations of the film "Life is Beautiful": the squares and streets lit up in the film are marked with special signs with a photograph of the corresponding scene. The inhabitants of the street are especially unlucky, where the hero of Benigni asks for a key: the cries of enthusiastic tourists “Maria! La chiave!" now and then announce the neighborhood.

You can travel around the city on municipal buses. The most convenient route for tourists is called the "Historic Center" (Centro Storico) and, as the name suggests, is laid near the main attractions of Arezzo.

At the famous Tournament of the Saracens, horsemen dressed in medieval costumes, each of which represents their own city block, compete in accuracy, trying to hit a wooden target - and the audience ardently cheers for their neighbors.

Arezzo Hotels

The number of rooms in Arezzo is represented by a large number of private boarding houses and rural guest houses, "threes" and "fours". Most establishments operate on a bed and breakfast system, which in no way detracts from their dignity, since there are more than enough cafes and restaurants in the area. A night of accommodation will cost about 55-85 EUR in a democratic hotel and 80-120 EUR in an excellent four-star hotel. Exclusive options, for example, accommodation in a restored 18th century villa, will cost 50-70 EUR more.

Cuisine and restaurants of Arezzo

As elsewhere in Tuscany (and indeed in Italy in general), the inhabitants of Arezzo love and know how to cook, inventing authentic dishes and maintaining the gastronomic continuity of generations. Local culinary highlights are two bread soups. The first - "acuacotta" - is cooked with porcini mushrooms, the second - "ribollita" - is nothing more than a multi-vegetable stew. We also recommend trying the authentic Chianina beef steak, which can be accompanied by a vegetable salad and a glass of red wine, also locally produced. Well, of course, in Arezzo you can eat traditional pizza and pasta.

If you want to get to know the cuisine of Arezzo in all its appetizing fullness, pay attention to the "tasting menu" - a set of mini dishes served according to the principle of the Balkan "meze".

Shopping and shops

Rejoice collectors of antiques - on the first weekend of each month, the largest flea market unfolds in Piazza Grande, where you can find antiques of any price, size and degree of antiquity. More than 500 sellers offer their goods here - and all sorts of things, and really artistically interesting antique gizmos. Needless to say, the path to the square will have to be paved on foot, so if you rent a car, it is better to leave it in the parking lot - the nearest one near the Cathedral.

Souvenirs are sold in numerous kiosks and shops near attractions and simply in the heart of the Old Town. For the freshest terroir, head to Piazza Sant'Agostino, where on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays the farmers bring the fruits of their labor for sale.

5 things to do in Arezzo

What is the strength to shout “Maria! La chiave!" in the same place where Roberto Benigni did it.
Cheer up a beautiful rider in the Tournament of the Saracens by giving him a rose.
Visit the house where the great Italian poet Francesco Petrarch lived.
Arrange a cultural run through the Vasari frescoes.
Appreciate the soup of porcini mushrooms "acuacotta", accompanied by a glass of good Italian wine.

Guides in Arezzo

Attractions and attractions in Arezzo

The main sights of Arezzo are clustered in the historical center of the city. First of all, this is a magnificent Cathedral of the 13th-15th centuries with a monumental stone facade, a mass of marble bas-reliefs and wonderful frescoes, including Mary Magdalene by Piero della Francesca. The Museum of the Cathedral is also located here. Away from main square Piazza Grande is dominated by one of the most interesting medieval buildings - the Palazzo delle Logge Vasariane (16th century).

The Church of Santa Maria (12th century) is famous for its Romanesque arched façade and marble reliefs representing the 12 months of the year. Pay attention to the 14th century bell tower, which has become a symbol of the city. Another magnificent church is San Francesco, where you can see a large-scale pictorial work of the same Piero della Francesca, dedicated to the Holy Cross - 10 consecutive frescoes. Other churches of interest are Santa Maria delle Grazie and San Domenico, around the corner of which is the House of Vasari, designed and furnished by the great painter.

In the ancient Roman amphitheater, you can imagine how the distant ancestors of the Italians had fun, and in the museum located here, you can see many Etruscan and Roman artifacts, for example, the Etruscan vase of the 6th century BC “Efronius Crater”, which depicts the exploits of Hercules.

You can see how the singer Laura lived in the House of Petrarch. Visits are possible by appointment or by polite request on site.

The best views of the city are from medieval fortress 16 in, which rises above the city a little further from the Cathedral.

Museums of Arezzo: Archaeological, with a large number of exhibits from the Etruscan and ancient Roman periods, State Museum of medieval and modern art, where paintings and sculptures of local masters of the 13th-18th centuries are presented, the house-museum of the founder of the antique fair, Ivan Bruska, with a mass of ancient interior items.

Festivals

The most colorful event in Arezzo, which annually attracts a lot of spectators, is the Knightly Tournament of the Saracens (Giostra del Saracino), which takes place twice: on the third Sunday of June and the first Sunday of September. Horsemen dressed in medieval costumes, each of which represents a city block, compete in accuracy, trying to hit a wooden target. The audience does not lag behind: it encourages the participants and arranges competitions for the best attire.

In the summer, Arezzo also hosts a theater festival, but the annual music festival ArezzoWave moved to the suburbs of Florence and became known as ItaliaWave.

An amazing people lived here, who came from nowhere, spoke a language that no one can still understand, left behind numerous necropolises and few sculptures and household items. Arezzo lucky in this regard, it was found here famous statue Chimera, now kept in Florence.
Slowly but persistently, the Romans conquered one Etruscan city after another, and the turn came Arezzo, in the III century. BC, it became a Roman city, retaining its industrial and commercial power, it became the northern bastion of Ancient Rome, which protected from the attacks of the Gauls.
Nevertheless, Arezzo retained rebellious spirits and was always looking for an opportunity to gain independence. Therefore, Caesar, out of revenge, organized a colony here for his veterans, which caused a demographic surge and dilution of the Etruscan part of the population.
During Imperial Rome Arezzo was a prosperous and wealthy city. Baths, a theater, an amphitheater (117-138) were built, the ruins of which have survived to this day.
Arezzo remained an industrial center where they worked with metal and produced ceramics since Etruscan times. Coral-colored vases were especially popular.
After the fall of the Roman Empire began the decline and decline Arezzo, tormented by barbarian raids. Then the power was seized by the Lombards, who erected a castle and their churches.

Then came the Franks with Charlemagne. Arezzo became the seat of the bishop. And until now, they still have something to boast about a rare city.
under the protection of the bishop Arezzo developed and built. At this time, one of the most prominent inhabitants was born Arezzo– Guido d’ Arezzo- a Benedictine monk from the abbey of Pomposa and a music theorist who introduced a 4-line musical staff with a pitch designation on each line in the initial letters of the Latin alphabet (still in use today), and a key.
After 1000 Arezzo became a free commune. But the bishop lived near the city wall in a castle and had feudal views of the city. The townspeople often opposed the power of the bishop, which caused conflicts that often ended not in favor of the townspeople. Nevertheless, the free commune developed.
In 1304 in Arezzo Francesco Petrarca, Italian poet, writer and humanist, was born.
Power Arezzo grew, and the city inevitably moved towards a collision with its significant neighbors Florence and Siena. After in Arezzo the Ghibellines came to power, in 1289 there was a battle with the Sienese and Florentine armies, called the Battle of Campaldino. Dante Alighiere also participated in this battle on the side of the Guelphs.
The bishop was killed in it Arezzo, and was succeeded by Guido Tarlati, who improved the economic situation, expanded the city boundaries and brought Arezzo to more prosperity. At this time, the city began to mint its own coins. Peace was made with Florence and an alliance was reached with Siena.
But after the death of Guido Tarlati for Arezzo dark days have come. The city was losing its territories, and in 1337 its independence, falling under the rule of Florence. After 10 years, independence was restored, but the former prosperity was no longer achieved. The struggle between the Guelphs and the Ghibellines flared up each time with new cruelty. In 1384 Arezzo was finally annexed to Florence, which also affected art. After that, the Florentine influence affected everything, but a slow decline was felt.
In 1525 in Arezzo plague came. The economic situation worsened and the city again rebelled against Florence. Siena fell in 15545 and most of Tuscany was merged into the Grand Duchy of Tuscany.
Cosimo I Medici carried out restoration work in Arezzo. The fortress was restored, the Cathedral was completed, churches were erected.
During these works, the famous Etruscan bronze statues of Minerva from Arezzo and Chimera.
In 1796, the French waxes, led by Napoleon, began to seize Italian lands. Arezzo was conquered in 1799.
In 1860 Arezzo became part of a united Italy.
Modern Arezzo retained its medieval appearance, although it was badly damaged during the Second World War. Half of the historic buildings were in ruins.

Let's start our route from the round square Piazza Guido Monaco named after Benedictine monk Guido, who was a musical theorist and who introduced a 4-line stave with the designation of the pitch on each line in the initial letters of the Latin alphabet and the key. We have already mentioned it in the History section.

From the busy square we will walk along the street via Giudo Monaco to the intersection with via Giuseppe Mazzini where we turn right.
On the left side, we immediately notice cafe "Caffe' Dei Costanti", some scenes of Benini's famous film "Life is beautiful" were filmed in it.
The cafe gained popularity at the beginning of the 19th century, and poets, intellectuals and foreigners came here. You can stop by a cafe, have a cup of coffee with dessert, or eat Life is Beautiful ice cream.
And opposite is Basilica of Saint Francis, where the frescoes of Piero della Francesca are kept, including the "Legend of the Real Crucifixion".

Basilica of St. Francis.

Let's go up the street via Andrea Cesalpino, which starts opposite the basilica, we reach the intersection with Via degli Albergotti and turn right. This street will lead us to one of the most beautiful squares in Italy - piazza Vasari (Vasari Square, or Big square) .

Piazza Grande. Arezzo.

On the first Sunday of September and the third Sunday of June, the Saracen Knight Tournament takes place at night on the square.
The square has an irregular shape, but strikes with its harmony and grace. A noticeable slope visually raises the Vasari loggia, built in the late Renaissance. Cafés are located under elegant porticos.

Piazza Grande. Arezzo.

Church overlooking the square Santa Maria della Pieve, its tower rises to a height of 59 meters and is called the bell tower of a hundred holes. On the main entrance door you can admire the sculptural group "Cycle of the Months" by Piero Lorengetti. The multi-tiered façade was made by the Argentinean master Marcio; it is built on the contrast of light and dark rows of layout and vertical divisions. Before the construction of the Cathedral, the church of Santa Maria delle Pieve was the main and largest in Arezzo.
In addition, there are the City and People's Palaces, the Tribunal and the palazzos (palaces) of noble families on the square.

Let's leave the square Via del Pileati.
On it finds Palace of Pretorio, decorated with the coats of arms of the rulers, now it houses the city library.

The street leads us to Cathedral.

The Cathedral is dedicated to Saints Donatus and Peter. It is made in the Gothic style. The cathedral began to be built on this site in 1278 by order of Pope Innocent III. The various phases of construction took a long time and were completely completed only in 1511. The facade dates back to the beginning of the 20th century, at the same time the cathedral was expanded. The tomb of Pope Gregory X in the right nave, the Madalena fresco by Piero della Francesca in the left nave, seven stained glass windows by Gullaume de Marchilatt in the right nave.

Cathedral of Arezzo.

When leaving the cathedral, turn right and reach Church of Saint Dominic (Chiesa di San Domenico), which was founded in 1275. Construction was completed in the XIV century. Notable is the wooden crucifix by Cimabue. Asymmetrical masonry façade and bell tower with two bells.

Let's turn from the church via San Domenico, and then on via XX Settembre.
House number 55 is Vasari's house.
The family of the artist, architect and art historian Giorgio Vasari lived here. The hall covered with frescoes has been preserved.
Visari bought this house in 1540. He was very busy at that time, torn between Rome, Florence and other places, so he rarely visited the house in Arezzo. However, the artist designed the facade of the building, but this project was not carried out. Vasari's heirs owned the house until 1687, when the family died out.
In 1911, the building was bought by the state, and a museum was opened here.

Let's turn right to via San Lorentino and then left to via Garibaldi.
Located a little further Church of Santissima Annunziata with works by Giorgio Vasari and Pietro da Cortona.

By via Garibaldi to the already known round Piazza Giudo Monaco. Departs from her via Roma covered with porticoes.

Via Roma. Arezzo.

Turning on via Margaritone, find ruins of a roman amphitheater Near Archaeological Museum.

Roman amphitheater. Arezzo.

Roman amphitheater was erected in the 1st century. The length of the amphitheater is 121 meters. The stones of the amphitheater were used for other buildings, including the monastery of St. Bernard. The amphitheater accommodated about 8 thousand spectators.

One can be surprised how small quiet Italian cities, at times, become, if not the center of the universe, then no less significant in science, culture and art for many centuries. One of these is Arezzo, Italy. This amazing city with charming urban landscapes has gathered on its streets and squares a lot of sightseeing and memorable places that can tell a lot about the pages of both the distant past and the present.

Is it not a curious fact that the town became the cradle of such a formidable and painful invention for not very diligent students in musical institutions - the science of solfeggio. The authorship of this invention belongs to the medieval Benedictine monk Guido d'Arezzo, who decided that playing from memory and using the available methods of transferring music is not very convenient. For this purpose, so that it would be clear and simple for everyone, I “designed” on a sheet a musical staff with four rulers and circles - notes. In total, as you know, there are seven of them.

What is interesting

Already later, three centuries later, the city gave not only Italy, but the whole world a brilliant poet, the brilliant Petrarch. The main Italian poet did a lot to popularize such a genre as a sonnet, plus everything was improved by him, if he did not come up with a parallel technique for writing poetry in both Latin and Italian.

Then, two centuries later, the painter Giorgio Vasari was “sent” to the city, who became the creator of a special, as it is now commonly called, Tuscan style of writing. His creations managed to significantly enrich the country with a large number of amazing buildings.

Speaking of great personalities closely associated with Arezzo, one cannot fail to mention modern creators. At one time, the town was honored by the attention of the director R. Benigni. A film with a life-affirming message was filmed on its streets, which glorified the city at the Cannes Film Festival. Life is Beautiful won a lion and three Oscars.

Do you really need more examples to understand the city should not be overlooked during a trip to Italy, besides, there is a lot more interesting here.

Arezzo is a city located in the Tuscany region, in the center of Italy, is one of the oldest settlements. The city is relatively small, the last census showed that almost one hundred thousand people live in it. Of course, not a millionaire city, but nevertheless, much more can envy the number of tourists major metropolis. It is no coincidence that today Arezz is a large tourist centre. The city is also famous far beyond its borders for the production of jewelry.

From the history

Historical research shows that the first settlements on the territory of Arrezo appeared in the sixth century before our millennium. Trade with neighbors was the main occupation of the townspeople, thanks to its intensive course, the city grew literally before our eyes, and soon it was already one of the twelve city-states in Etruria.

Traces of the former Etruscan city bear the remains of the surviving ruins of the walls of the fortress of the wall, the necropolis of Poggio del Sol, as well as bronze sculptures of Chimera and Minerva. After a while, approximately in the year 300 BC, the city was invaded by the Romans, as a result of the capture, it was renamed Arretium. The development of the colony was carried out on a colossal scale, which allowed the city to increase the population by the beginning of the new century to almost one hundred thousand people.

At that time, this was a very significant indicator, which put Arretium in the top three. largest cities, the first, of course, were Rome and Naples. Buildings grew, the territory of the city increased. A huge building of the amphitheater was built here, many public institutions and public baths began to appear on the streets of the city.

When the Roman Empire fell, the significance of Arezzo did not change in any way, because it was conveniently located between Rome and the river valley. Later, the city was among the first in the state to come under the control of the Lombards. They considered it necessary to make the central part of the city on a hill, for this they first started building a castle. At the end of the 10th century, Arezzo was admitted to the Holy Roman Empire. It would seem that times of prosperity and prosperity came for the city, but it was a period of economic and cultural decline.

Changes in better side began to occur only decades later, when Arezzo formed a commune in the eleventh century. Only two centuries later, a period of cultural flourishing began here. The city was renewed and grew before our eyes. In place of the old ones, it was decided to build new city walls, then the Basilica of Santa Maria della Pieve was erected. Also, this time is marked by the construction of the cathedral, as well as one of the first universities in the country. The genius of F. Petrarch was born here, it happened in 1302. With this fact alone, the city is already attracting close attention.

By the end of the fourteenth century, the city came under the control of the Florentine Republic. This could not but affect its socio-political and cultural development. In the sixteenth century, in order to strengthen the military significance of the city, it was decided to rebuild its central part. The result of this "modernization" was not only the appearance of a whole complex of protective structures, but also the destruction of a number of cultural and historical heritage- there was no place left for the episcopal cathedral and the palace of the commune.

Then, no less significant stages took place in the development of the city. Of particular note is the stage of construction of communication lines. This allowed the city in the nineteenth century to have a good connection with many cities and rural settlements, not only in the Tuscany region, but throughout the country.

How to get there

There is no airport in Arezzo, if you are going to fly there by plane, then the airports of Florence and Pisa are closest to this city.
But you can get here by rail, there is an excellent railway connection with Tuscan cities, for example, with Florence. You will have to spend about an hour on the road, the average ticket price is 10 euros; you can also quite successfully get here by train from Rome. The whole journey will take no more than two and a half hours, a ticket will cost an average of 15 euros.
Buses depart here, making long-distance flights. This is the most practical option, as this type of transport is sent to Arezzo from almost every locality countries.

Intracity transport

The city has a sufficient number of municipal buses that will allow you to visit different places village and explore all the sights of Arezzo. It is considered the most suitable route (namely for those who came specially to the city on travel vouchers), called the "Historic Center" (Centro Storico). It, as it is easy to understand by the name, passes in close proximity to the main sights of Arezzo.

The city itself is not so big, here it is quite possible to get by on foot in order to see individual historical sights. Especially the center, as the objects are not separated from each other by large distances, moreover, there is a sufficient number of sidewalks and pedestrian zones. However, here it must be borne in mind that the city is not located exactly above sea level, but is stretched along a hill, so it will be necessary to apply here and there physical activity on the leg muscles. Keep in mind that the city is located on a hill, so walking through it will require some physical effort.

In the case when you are clearly not a fan of walking, but rent a car for walking, you need to know where you can leave it. To do this, there are municipal parking lots, which are located in front of the entrance to the Old Town. For such a service, you will have to pay a little more than 10 euros, the car can stay for this fee all day.

Hotels

There are enough rooms to stay in Arezzo, there are enough here a large number of various hotels, for example, private pensions and rural hotels with three and even four stars. Of course, you should not count on some very luxurious services in most establishments, as a rule, they work according to the usual scheme - the guest must have an overnight stay and breakfast.

However, this in no way diminishes their dignity, especially since there are many drinking and eating establishments in the district. For an overnight stay in such a room, you will have to pay from 50 to 80 euros. A night in a hotel with, for example, four stars will cost more - up to 125 euros. For those who wish to use an exclusive room, for example, in a restored villa, the pleasure will cost 60-80 euros more.

Here you can book the most popular hotels at affordable room rates:

Hotel Minervafrom. The price is 4.6 thousand rubles. Address: Arezzo Via Fiorentina 4
Etrusco Arezzo Hotelfrom 4.6 thousand rubles. Address: Arezzo Via A. Fleming 39
Hotel L’Aretinofrom 5.8 thousand rubles. Address: Arezzo Via Madonna del Prato 83
Casa Volpifrom 5.4 thousand rubles. Address: Arezzo Via Simone Martini 29
Hotel Ceccofrom 3.5 thousand rubles. Address: Arezzo Corso Italia N° 215

Cuisine and restaurants

It's no secret that the inhabitants of Italy are not only very skilled chefs and confectioners, but also specialists who love their work. Arezzo residents are no exception. They are excellent inventors of authentic dishes, trying to be gastronomic successors of their predecessors. Among the traditional local dishes, which are in their own way a visiting card - soups with bread

They prepare, for example, “aquacotta”, one of the soups, with the addition of mushrooms, and the other - “ribollita” - with a wide variety of vegetables, it turns out something like a stew. Beef steak is always prepared for visitors here. If desired, it can always be accompanied by a vegetable salad with a glass of wine, by the way, also of traditional local varieties. To visit Arezzo and not try traditional pizza and pasta is simply unforgivable.

For those who want to get to know the urban cuisine closer, in all, so to speak, tastefulness, there are special “tasting menus” - this is when you are offered mini-sets of dish options that are served as Balkan “mezes”.

shopping

For lovers of antiques, there will always be a time and a place where you can admire the collections of antiques with pleasure, which vary in size and age, but most importantly - in price. On the first weekend of every month, the largest flea market in Piazza Grande is organized here. More than half a thousand sellers participate in the auction, who exhibit not only consumer goods, but also antiques that are really significant in antiquarian and artistic terms.

The walk is best done on foot, but if you rent a car, you can identify it in the parking lot, which is located near the Cathedral - this is the closest place.

Here you can buy the most various souvenirs about the city. They are located nearby and are sold in any kiosk or shop, of which there are quite a lot in the center of the Old Town. If you're looking for the freshest "terroir" produce, Piazza Sant'Agostino is the place to be. Here, three times a week: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, agricultural products are delivered for sale from fields and farms.

Visit Arezzo and do 5 things!

Seasoned tourists say that if you've been to Arezzo and haven't done five things, it means you haven't seen and understood this city enough. What do they advise?

It is necessary to pronounce the words “Maria! La chiave!" where Roberto Benigni shouted them.
Give a rose to the horseman, thereby cheering him up at one of the Saracen Tournaments.
Visit the house of the brilliant Italian poet Francesco Petrarca.
Be sure to find time for a cultural run through one of the main attractions - the Vasari frescoes.
Try aquacotta and appreciate not only the mushroom soup, but also the sides of fine Italian wine.

Festivals

Tourists rightfully consider it the brightest and richest event in the city, which every year attracts thousands of spectators - the Tournament of the Knights of the Saracens. It takes place twice a year. The first time the tournament starts on the third Sunday of June, and the second time on the first Sunday of September. Knights, dressed in costumes of the Middle Ages, representing their city quarters, are in a stubborn competition, trying to get ahead of each other in shooting accuracy. To do this, they need a clear defeat of a wooden target. Spectators also take an active part, cheering the participants and competing among themselves in the best attire.
In the summer, here in Arezzo, you can participate in a theater festival.
Unfortunately, there is no ArezzoWave music festival lately, as it is now held in one of the suburbs of Florence.

Attractions

The main attractions of the city are concentrated, as in most cities, in the historical center.

Piazza Grande, also known as Piazza Vasari, is the most attractive square in Arezzo. It is located at the junction of roads, about two hundred meters from the Duomo; surrounded by the same as itself medieval buildings and religious buildings.

Twice a year, the Gistra del Saracino, well-known outside the city and very popular tournament of knights, is held here. The tradition originates from the distant Middle Ages. Riders in medieval armor compete in shooting accuracy at a wooden target.

Tourists will not remain indifferent from going to the market, which is located on the same square. The summer theater festival Arezzo Festival is also held here. A little away from the central square, you can see the towering Lodge Vasariane. It is one of the most attractive buildings; it began to be built in the sixteenth century.

Surprise and amaze the arched church facade of Santa Maria, a building built in the twelfth century, the Romanesque style and twelve reliefs made of marble, which mean the months of the year, are especially attractive. It is impossible not to look at the bell tower, which symbolizes the city, built two centuries later.

No less elegant is San Francesco - the church, where those who wish can admire the colossal work of Francesca, the frescoes are especially attractive - ten compositions that complement each other. The master dedicated this large-scale work to the Holy Cross.

Other attractions

You can also see amazing church buildings, such as Santa Maria delle Grazie and others.

The cathedral, proudly stands on a hill, which attracts attention even more and seems to be watching everything that happens, has a monumental stone facade. There are also many marble bas-reliefs made by a first-class master. Of particular note are the delightful frescoes of Francesca.
Roman amphitheater. A very fascinating sight, returning to the old days. He is the main witness to imperial rule. Here one can only imagine the entertainment of distant ancestors.
Palace of Priors. To see this magnificent creation of human hands, built in the twelfth century, you need to go to western part Freedom Square.
House of Vasari. Acquired by the owner in the middle of the sixteenth century. Located at Via XX Settembre.
Medici Fortress - once a defense structure, built in the sixteenth century. It occupies part of the territory of the hill of St. Donat.
Praetor Palace. This building is a complex of amazing and original architectural design buildings.
Theater of Petrarch. It is the main theatrical institution of the city. You can visit it if you walk six hundred meters in a southwest direction from the Cathedral along Via Guido Monaco.
Prato park. This is one of the most beautiful and oldest parks in the city, it is comfortably spread out along the hill between the cathedral and the fortress.

Churches

Our Lady in Grad. Very beautiful structure, located on the square of the same name, on the street, where there is a steep climb.
St. Michael the Archangel, located on the square of the same name.
Saint Augustine. It occupies the territory of the square of the same name Sant'Agostino). It began to be laid back in the thirteenth century, then it was reconstructed two centuries later.
Saint Dominic. It can be seen on the square with the same name, for this you need to walk two hundred meters from the Cathedral in a northerly direction.
Our Lady of Mercy. It is located outside the historic center.
Holy Annunciation. You can find it if you walk along via Giuseppe Garibaldi.
Parish Church of Our Lady. It is considered by the townspeople the most elegant building.
Monastery of Saints Flora and Lukilla.
Mary Magdalene. Those who wish can visit the Museum of the Cathedral here. It has a sufficient number of various artifacts. Big interest evokes, for example, the vase "Efronius Crater" from visitors. It very picturesquely depicts the exploits of the mythical hero Hercules.

Museums

Archaeological. There are a lot of different exhibits that tell about the Etruscan and ancient Roman times.
Medieval and modern art. It widely shows the canvases of painters and sculptures of local masters for the period of the thirteenth - eighteenth centuries.
Ivan Brusky. The house is named after the founder of the museum. Here is a lot of antique interior items.

Finally

A country like Italy has a lot of amazing places, Arezzo is just a small part of everything cultural heritage. But there are so many interesting things here.

In Arezzo, there is an opportunity to walk along the streets and squares where the shooting of “Life is Beautiful” took place; prudently hung signs with photos speak of these places. You can imagine how the inhabitants of the street feel, on which tourists do not stop enthusiastically repeating after the hero of the film “Maria! La chiave!

Isn't it interesting to visit the House of Vasari, around the corner which he himself designed and furnished with a brilliant painter. Or look at the house of another genius - Petrarch, who sang Laura. You can get into the house only by pre-registration, or at a very good request.

Many people dream of looking at the city from the height of a medieval fortress, which was built in the sixteenth century and proudly rises above the town.

Arezzo (Italy) - the most detailed information about the city with a photo. The main sights of Arezzo with descriptions, guides and maps.

City of Arezzo (Italy)

Arezzo is a city in Central Italy in the region of Tuscany. It is located on a hilly plain in the upper reaches of the Arno River and is the capital of the province of the same name. Arezzo is one of ancient cities countries older than, for example, Egyptian Alexandria. This is one of the largest and most important settlements of the Etruscans, which did not lose its significance under the Romans, the birthplace of Petrarch and the workshop of Vasari, the city of poets and a place where art has always flourished.

Geography and climate

Arezzo is located 80 km southeast of Florence in the north of Val di Chiana (a hilly plain that occupies the territory of Tuscany and Umbria). The city is in upstream river Arno.

The climate is subtropical. It has pronounced continental features, characteristic of the whole of Tuscany. Summers are hot and dry, while winters are quite warm with occasional freezing temperatures and occasional snow cover.

Practical information

The population is 99.5 thousand people.
The area is 384.7 square kilometers.
The language is Italian.
Currency - euro.
Visa - Schengen.
Time - Central European UTC +1, summer +2.

Story

Arezzo is one of the oldest cities in Tuscany. The first settlement here was founded by the Etruscans in the 6th century BC. Quite quickly, Arretium became one of the largest and most important cities in Etruria. Arezzo experienced considerable prosperity during the Etruscan period until it was conquered by the Romans in 301 BC. The city center was badly damaged, and most of the inhabitants were evicted.

In the era of the Roman Empire, the importance of Arezzo not only did not fall, but continued to grow. In the 1st century AD, about 100 thousand people lived here, and the city itself was the third largest in Italy (after Rome and Naples). In the 2nd century, the Romans built an amphitheater.

After the fall of the Roman Empire and as a result of the invasion of the barbarians, the population of the city decreased significantly. But thanks to its advantageous position, Arezzo played importance and in the early Middle Ages. In the 5th-6th centuries, the city was on the border of the Ostrogothic kingdom and the possessions of Byzantium. Later, Arezzo became part of the Lombard state, in the 8th century it became part of the Frankish kingdom, and in the 10th century it became part of the Holy Roman Empire.

By the beginning of the 12th century, Arezzo actually gained independence. The city was ruled by a bishop and a commune. Soon the Republic of Aretina was formed, which reached its peak in the 13th century. In 1255, a university was founded here, one of the oldest in Europe. During the period of confrontation between the Guelphs and the Ghibellines, Arezzo supported the latter. By the end of the 13th century, the Guelphs ruled almost all of Tuscany. In 1289, a major battle took place at Campaldino, during which the Aretine army was defeated and their leaders died. Since that time, the importance of the city began to decline.

In 1384 Arezzo became part of Tuscany. Despite broad rights, the importance of the city began to decline steadily. Interestingly, this does not apply to culture and art. During the Renaissance, famous scientists, artists, and architects worked here. During the Napoleonic Wars, Arezzo became one of the main centers of opposition. During the Second World War, the city was significantly damaged by bombing.

How to get there

The nearest airports are located in Pisa and Florence, you can also use the airports of Rome and Milan. The Arezzo railway station is located on the edge of the historic center and has regular connections to Rome and Florence.

Shopping and shopping

In the old town of Arezzo, there are quite a lot of shops, including those with clothes and shoes of famous brands. Every first Sunday of the month, Piazza Grande hosts a large flea market that attracts tens of thousands of people.

Food and drink

Arezzo is famous for its cuisine: acquacotta soup with porcini mushrooms and bread, Ribollita soup with bread and vegetables, Florentine steak, pasta. All this is accompanied by a glass of good Aretian wine.

Attractions

Piazza Grande or Great Square is the heart of Arezzo, a beautiful medieval square surrounded by historic buildings. north side occupies the palace of Vasari's work - the Palazzo delle Logge with an elegant colonnade. In the western corner is Santa Maria della Pieve and a 14th-century palace with a beautiful Gothic façade. The bell tower was added by Giorgio Vasari in the 16th century. It has one of the oldest Italian clocks still in operation.

Pieve di Santa Maria is the oldest surviving church in the city and the most important Romanesque building. The modern church was built in the 13th century on the site of an older but ruined building. The religious building was rebuilt in the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries. The church has an interesting facade, a severe interior and an ancient crypt. To the right is a 60-metre-high bell tower with five rows of double windows.

Duomo is a cathedral with 7 centuries of history. Known for exceptional French stained glass windows by Guillaume de Marzille from the 14th century. Also in the cathedral is the tomb of the 14th Pope Gregory X. On the high altar is the late Gothic tomb and the relics of St. Donatus, Bishop of Arezzo, who was martyred in the time of Diocletian, the sacristy has beautiful frescoes, and priceless paintings are kept in the old sacristy, a Romanesque cross 11 -th century and a Flemish sail of the 15th century.

San Domenico is one of the most impressive churches in Arezzo, built in the 13th century. The building is believed to have been designed by Pisano. The church has an original medieval bell tower with two bells from the 14th century. Inside are fine frescoes from the 14th and 15th centuries, a 14th-century Gothic tabernacle by Giovanni di Francesco, and a 13th-century Cimabue crucifix.

San Francesco is a medieval church founded in the 13th century. The chapels on the left side were added in the 15th century. Above the door is a round window by Guillaume de Marzille. The church is known for its famous frescoes, which are among the most expressive works in all of Italian painting.

The Vasari House is the home of the famous architect, with a series of beautiful frescoes. It was acquired by him in 1540. The archive contains letters from Michelangelo and Pope Pius V.

The Pretorio Palace is a beautiful historical building with many coats of arms and bas-reliefs on the facade. The building was built in 1322 and rebuilt in the 17th century. From 1404 to 1926 the palazzo served as a prison. Now there is a library within its walls.

Museum of Arezzo:

Archaeological Museum built on the ruins of a Roman amphitheatre. The displays include exhibits from the 2nd century.
The Museum of Medieval and Modern Art has an extensive collection of ancient weapons, paintings and pottery. The museum is located in a building with an interesting courtyard and stairs.