AREZZO
AREZZO is another province in Tuscany. There are 100.000 inhabitants. The city is located in the midst of three valleys (the Valdarno, the Val di Chiana and the Casentino Valley) and the province borders with Umbria.Arezzo has Estruscan origins and it was one of the most important cities of the time. In the 3rd century AD Arezzo fell under control of the Holy Roman Empire, for its strategic position served to avoid enemy attacks, especially from theGallics. Today we can admireEtruscan and ancient Roman remains. The city is renowned for being the birthplace of the famous painter Piero della Francesca and for playing a leading role in the goldsmith’s art.The famous company UnoAerre, based in Arezzo, houses an interesting Gold Museum. The Etruscans were pioneers in the gold manufacturing field and we are able to enjoy their pieces thanks to their firm belief in the afterlife. In fact,impressive jewels were found in various graves. During the Middle Ages Arezzo produced gold jewels for the Church but in the latter period, the Renaissance, it started to develop a unique style and tocompare it with the Florentine one. The first goldsmith factory in Arezzo, Gori & Zucchi, opened in 1926. Todaythe leading company is the UnoAerre, which owns 1.500 little firms for a total of 10.000 workers.
In Arezzo became more and more popular because was movie set of the " La Vita è Bella" with Roberto Benigni.
Major tourist attractions:
Cortona, Castiglion Fiorentino, Monte San Savino, Castiglion Fibocchi, Anghiari, Montevarchi, Poppi, San Sepolcro, San Giustino Val d'Arno, Bibbiena, Bucine, Caviglia, Capolona, Bucine,Caprese Michelangelo, Castel Focognano, Badia Tedalda, Chtignano, Chiusi della Verna, Civitella in Val di Chiana, Foiano della Chiana, Laterina, Loro Ciuffenna, Marciano della Chiana, MOntemignaio, Monte San Savino, Montevarchi, Perigine Valdarno, Pian di Sco, Pratovecchio, San Giovanni Valdarno, Sestino, Stia, Subbiano, Talla.
Illustrious people born in Arezzo and its surrounding:
Giorgio Vasari, Francesco Petrarca, Michelangelo Buonarroti, Masaccio, Paolo Uccello, Piero della Francesca, Michelangelo ( Was born at Caprese Michelangelo), Pietro Aretino, Andrea Cesalpino and Roberto Benigni.
Major events:
The chickpea pie, the Pappardelle with jugged hare, the Panzanella, the Migliaccio (blood pudding), the Porchetta (roast sucking pig), Porcini mushrooms, chestnuts, the bianco zolfino bean, the chestnut focaccia, the potato Tortelli and the ricotta cheese Gnocchi.
In Arezzo became more and more popular because was movie set of the " La Vita è Bella" with Roberto Benigni.
Major tourist attractions:
- Roman amphitheatre: it was built in the 2nd century AD.
- Arezzo Cathedral: it dominates the hill where the acropolis was once located. It was built in 1278.
- Basilica of San Francesco: this late medieval building is the second church built by the Franciscans in Arezzo. It was erected in the 13th century. The first one was located outside the city walls and was destroyed during the war. The masterworks it housed were brought to the new one inside the defensive walls. Today we can admire the largest sequence of frescoes by Fiero dellaFrancesca, The History of the True Cross. Moreover, there are masterpieces by Luca Signorelli and Spinello Aretino.
- Petrarch’s House: situated on Via dell’Orto, it was the birthplace of the Renaissance poet Francesco Petrarca.
- The Medici Fortress: Antonio da Sangallo the Younger built this fortress for Cosimo I de’ Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany, in the16th century. It offers an excellent view over the city, for it is located on top of a hill.
- Piazza Grande: The building surrounding the square bear witness to six centuries of Arezzo's civil architecturaldevelopment. We have ordinary houses of the 1200 and 1300s alongside two nobelmen's houses with towers, the Palazzo della frternita with the gothic and renaissance facade. The apse of Santa Maria della Piave, Palazzo del Tribunale Curthouse-18th century and the 16th century Logge del Vasari.
Cortona, Castiglion Fiorentino, Monte San Savino, Castiglion Fibocchi, Anghiari, Montevarchi, Poppi, San Sepolcro, San Giustino Val d'Arno, Bibbiena, Bucine, Caviglia, Capolona, Bucine,Caprese Michelangelo, Castel Focognano, Badia Tedalda, Chtignano, Chiusi della Verna, Civitella in Val di Chiana, Foiano della Chiana, Laterina, Loro Ciuffenna, Marciano della Chiana, MOntemignaio, Monte San Savino, Montevarchi, Perigine Valdarno, Pian di Sco, Pratovecchio, San Giovanni Valdarno, Sestino, Stia, Subbiano, Talla.
Illustrious people born in Arezzo and its surrounding:
Giorgio Vasari, Francesco Petrarca, Michelangelo Buonarroti, Masaccio, Paolo Uccello, Piero della Francesca, Michelangelo ( Was born at Caprese Michelangelo), Pietro Aretino, Andrea Cesalpino and Roberto Benigni.
Major events:
- The Saracen Joust: it is the historical reenactment of a medieval game of chivalry that is regularly held in the Piazza Grande in June and in September. The jousters gallop their horses with lance in rest against a dummy representing a Saracen. The competition is won by the couple of knights who hit the Saracen obtaining the highest scores.
- Fiera Antiquaria : (the Antique Market of Arezzo): it takes place every month on the first Sunday and on the previous Saturday. The tradition goes back to 1968.
The chickpea pie, the Pappardelle with jugged hare, the Panzanella, the Migliaccio (blood pudding), the Porchetta (roast sucking pig), Porcini mushrooms, chestnuts, the bianco zolfino bean, the chestnut focaccia, the potato Tortelli and the ricotta cheese Gnocchi.