Arezzo Is Always a Good Idea

Arezzo, a town about 80 km south-east of Florence, is universally known for its gold-working (since the Middle Ages) and the medieval jousting contest La Giostra del Saracino performed twice a year in the main piazza.

Arezzo is the capital of the easternmost province of Tuscany, which gets far less attention. The town was once part of the Etruscan League, then turned into the flourishing Roman Arretium, and later a medieval commune.

Among its native sons and supreme citizens were the poet and educated humanist Petrarch (1304-1374) and the talented artist and architect Giorgio Vasari (1511-1574). Here Guido monaco taught music and went on to invent the basis of the modern system of musical notation. Roberto Benigni filmed in Arezzo the scenes of his Oscar-winning tragicomedy Life Is Beautiful (La Vita è Bella, 1997).

Start at the Duomo (Cathedral of San Donato), it’s magnificent. Facing the same piazza is the 14^th-century Palazzo dei Priori.

If you walk through the gardens, you’ll get to the 16^th-century Fortezza Medicea. Situated atop the San Donato Hill, it was one of the three fortresses built to defend the city. It offers great panoramic views of the city and witnesses various periods of construction.

A monument (1928) in the Prato Gardens honoring Francesco Petrarca.

Walk down the corso (Corso Italia), past the shop windows, cafés, and the beautiful Romanesque church of Santa Maria della Pieve with its unmistakable bell tower called “of the hundred holes”.

From here you get to the most beautiful square of Arezzo (and one of the most beautiful in Italy) –Piazza Grande, with fine medieval buildings and the Vasari Loggia.

Here the Giostra del Saracino takes place twice a year (in June and September). A historical re-enactment of a medieval knights’ competition between the four districts of the town.

Palazzo della Fraternita dei Laici in Piazza Grande.

Inside is an amazing fresco cycle by Piero della Francesca – the extraordinary Cappella Bacci with the Legend of the True Cross; not to be missed!

Numerous Etruscan tombs as well as remains of ancient Roman buildings have been recovered within the modern town. A trip to Arezzo wouldn’t be complete without a visit to the Roman Amphitheatre and Archaeological Museum: an interesting itinerary, where you can walk amongst the amphitheatre ruins and discover Arretium through the gems of the museum.

You may also wanna visit Casa del Petrarca (in via dell’Orto, not far from the Cathedral, now the seat of Petrarch Academy of Arts and Science) and Casa Vasari (in via XX Settembre, rebuilt and frescoed by Giorgio Vasari in the 16^th century).

Around every other corner I stroll past there is something to explore and discover, like this interesting Fauna Selvatica exhibition.

Envisioned by the province of Arezzo, the project owes its existence to the group of experts. 600 different pieces from birds to mammals represent the local fauna as well as the exotic wildlife. An insight into the biodiversity of our planet, with particular regard to environmental problems. The museum is a few steps away from the Cathedral, at n.3 of Piazza della Liberta. Open every first Sunday and the preceding Saturday of the month, free entrance, 9:30 – 13:00 and 15:30 – 19:00, or by appointment.

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Sansepolcro, A Treasure Trove of Art

Sansepolcro is a Tuscan town rich in history, art and traditions, situated in the idyllic Tuscan Tiber Valley. Once under Papal rule, the town then passed to the House of Medici and the Grand Duchy of Tuscany in the 15th century.

The Cathedral, built in 1012, was initially dedicated to the Four Evangelists, whose relics had been brought here by two local pilgrims Arcano and Egidio on their return from the Holy Land. The name ‘Sansepolcro’, in fact, derives from the Holy Sepulchre.

Here you can admire Il Volto Santo, an imposing wooden crucifix (9th century), and The Ascension of Christ, the fascinating Altarpiece by Perugino (1510). Next to the Cathedral is the 16th-century Palazzo delle Laudi, now the Town Hall.

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Sansepolcro is famous as the birthplace of Piero della Francesca (1416 – 1492). The great artist left a lot of works in his homeland, easily distinguished by the daring foreshortenings and beautiful views of the Valtiberina. Mementos of his days in the Upper Tiber Valley are everywhere and his major works may be seen in the Civic Museum.

The Church of Saint Francis and, across the road, the artists’s birthplace in via Aggiunti.

Palio della Balestra is a 5-hundred-year-old cross bow tournament held annually in September between Sansepolcro and Gubbio. During the Middle Ages and early Renaissance such tournaments were aimed at encouraging the target practice by citizens in charge of the defence of their towns. Cosimo de Medici, while visiting Sansepolcro, took part in the Palio and even shot a crossbow himself. This is the time when Sansepolcro brings back to life the atmosphere of Piero della Francesca’s time, with colourful streets, beautiful Renaissance palaces and gorgeous costumes worn by madonnas and notables, just like those in Piero’s frescoes.

Aboca Museum, an interesting herb museum with faithful reconstruction of ancient laboratories, that shares the ancient tradition of medicinal plants. The museum recounts herbal lore through the centuries, from the dawn of mankind’s existence, when medicinal herbs were eaten as they were or prepared very simply, followed by the alcoholic distillation discovery (X century AD), the development of alchemy centuries later, and finally, the nineteenth century pharmacy. Here’s the museum’s philosophy: “Medical plants are nature’s gift, created for all living beings“, and “If man so wants, he can find remedies to all his ills in nature“.

You can also visit the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie with a masterpiece by Raffaellino del Colle (1555) and the Church of San Lorenzo with a Deposition by Rosso Fiorentino (1528).

Craftwork still plays an important role here, there are some restoration schools, ceramics workshops, goldsmith artists and lace production. Sansepolcro, I guess, is still pretty close to a place Piero could call home.

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Monterchi, an Autumn Invitation

One of the great reasons to visit Monterchi is the extraordinary fresco of the Madonna del Parto (1455-1460) by Piero della Francesca (1415-1492), recently restored and now exhibited in a special display area in his mother’s native town.

Monterchi is a little Tuscan town, perched on a hill on the border with Umbria. It originated as a holy site for the Ancient Romans. The name derives from Heracles, ‘mons Herculi‘, who, according to the legend, founded the town after defeating the Hydra (the 9-headed monster, reproduced on the municipal coat of arms).

Visit the picturesque Piazza Umberto I at the top of the old village. It is often turned into an open-air stage with bars, food stalls and souvenir stands during the local events like the polenta festival, Sagra della Polenta, which occurs annually in September. It’s a three-day event with dining and entertainment, as well as walks, concerts and contests. On the menu: sausages, mushrooms and polenta, of course.

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