Arezzo Things to Do

The Roman theatre is at the bottom of Corso Italia, somewhere in the lower town. It is not difficult to be found. Arezzo is a small town, everything is always close to where you are. There is a museum too, but it was closed so we had no cance to see it.

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Get Corso Italia and walk it all until the top of the hill. On top there is Petrarca home, the Duomo and the Fortezza Medicea. Along the walk many churches and antique houses. Arezzo is not a well known town in Italy. I've never been there before, I just decided to stop for a dreadful jam on A1, while coming back from Rome. And I discovered a nice town. Thanks to the traffic!

The castle was built by Count Guidi, a family which dates back until the X century in the Tuscan Area. There were 2 brothers who had the command in Casentino: Simone, conte di Battifolle and Guido Novello, conte di Modigliana. They lived in the second half of the XIII century and were politically active in the Repubblica Fiorentina.
The caste remain in the possession of the Guidi Family until 1440 when it passed to the Repubblica which used it as the seat of the Vicariate of Casentino.Historians attribuite the construction and restoration of the castle to the cnte di Battifolle.
The right side of the building shows its intervention, with work done by Lapo di Cambio; to the left, they attribuite to Amorfo di Cambio, the architect of the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence.

The Cathedral (S.Donato), born in medieval age, but finished and completly modified in reinassance epoch is a massive sandstone's building, that shows a neogothic façade and a beatuiful bell tower. Inside we can see Marcillat's glasses, a Piero della Francesca's fresco, a Donatello's relief, Vasari and Della Robbia's works, and many other amazing things.

The little gothic church of San Domenico hosts the only Cimabue's crucifix that's still intact today. This table is one of the firsts works of the artist and it's located in the centre of the altar. All around the crucific there's a unic, mystic atmosphere.

Piazza Grande is one of the most beautiful Italian's squares, with its inclination (almost 10 meters of level's difference). It was built in 1200 as a market place outside the city walls. All around we can see pretty medieval building, tower-houses and the majestic Vasari's loggias. The square is the setting, twice a year, of the "Giostra del saracino", thousands of people come here to see this folkloristic play. Piazza Grand was also the set of Roberto Benigni's movie "Life is beautiful".

The Basilica of S.Francesco, one of the most important Arezzo's monuments, is famous for its frescoes "The legend of the true Cross" painted by Piero della Francesca. It was started during the 14th century, the façade is the only thing unfinished, but inside it's really a masterpiece, with Marcillat's glass, Spinello's paintings and mailnly with Piero's frescoes representing the Aurea legend: the story of the wood where Christ was crucifixed, since the origin, until the return in Gerusalem thanks to the emperor Eraclio.

The symbol of medieval epoch in Arezzo is certainly the Pieve of S.Maria. It was built between the IX and X century in romanesque style. Inside it's very striking: three naves divided by strong pillars a shining apse and a secret crypt. It also hosts a fantastic Pietro Lorenzetti's polittico. Words can't explain the mystic atmosphere of this architectural masterpiece, that really needs to be visited.