Arezzo Things to Do

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The Piazza Grande is a large medieval square in the town of Arezzo. It was once the main marketplace of the city but still is a high pedestrian traffic area. This is where the Giostra del Saracino is held every year where medieval knights joust and compete. The Piazza is surrounded by many important Arezzo landmarks: Fraternita dei Laici, Vasari Loggia, Episcopal Palace and Palazzo Cofani-Brizzolari.

The Piazza Grande is a nice place to walk around, people watch and grab a snack. We found a nice cafe off of the Piazza to grab some pastry, an iced tea for me and a cappucino for Liz.

The statue of Vittorio Fossombroni is in the Piazza San Francesco in front of the church. Vittorio's heirs had the statue made and given as a giftto Arezzo in 1864. Vittorio was a citizen of Arezzo as well as a scientist and politician. He was an engineer for th Grand Duke of Tuscany. His is remembered for his draining of the marshes around Arezzo that increased
the beauty and health of the town.

Traveling can be exhausting, so why not take some time to relax in the park? We always go the park in Arezzo, near the edge of the walls of the city. There are swings, a teeter-totter, etc. for the kids and lots of beautiful walks under the trees. You can walk to the edge of the park and look out over the city walls to the valley below. It is beautiful and very tranquil.

My friend Ileana took me to this governement building (i can´t remember the name of the building, or where it is) with a big reunion hall, containing a very interesting fresco wich depicts some famous persons of the city as Petrarca, Vasari, Piero Della Francesca and Guido D´arezzo. The building is not on the beaten track, so there are no touristic visits.

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This is the main piazza of the city and the heart of Arezzo. The piazza is surrounded by some great buildings and churches like Santa Maria Della Pieve, The Palazo Della Fraternita Dei Laici, The Palazzo Lapolli and The Palazzo Cofani. In this famous Piazza is where La Grosta del Saracino (a medieval tournament, where the Arezzo´s four regions challenge each other) takes place the first sunday of June and September.

A 12th-century church built in Lombard Romanesque style, with a large tower bell of more than 36 mts located in the main medieval square. Inside above the main altar you will see a beautiful polypytch of four pannels of the Madonna with child and saints by Pietro Lorenzetti.

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Built in one of the highest hills of the city this cathedral is a beautiful Gothic structure, it was begun in 1277, continued in 1313 and 1510 but not completed until the 1,900´s. The church was constructed in the architectural style of the Mendicant Order. The interior has many works of art with some splendid multicoloured glass windows by Guillaume de Marcillat (16th century). Under the high altar there´s the tomb and relics of St. Donatus.

In Arezzo i first visited the church of San Francesco where i saw the amazing frescoes of Piero Della Francesca about the Legend of the True Cross, but then in the cathedral i also found this beautiful fresco of St Mary Magdalene painted by the same artist, that i specially liked.