AREZZO
When you enter the old town of Arezzo, the sensation is one of stepping back in time. There is so much to admire: two main churches, Petrarca’s house, Medici’s medieval fortress, the Piazza Grande or Roman amphitheatre.
Yet, the best time to come is when the antique market or the jousting festival are in town. Arezzo is a little off the beaten track for the crowds, however, that may make it the more attractive...
Park at the parking Pietri, take the escalator and step through a small opening in the ramparts right into the center of the medieval town, the Piazza della Libertà with its imposing cathedral - the Duomo of Arezzo. The construction of the church was started in the early 14th century and, due to an ever-changing economic situation, was never really finished until the 16th century, with several modern modifications (bell tower and spire) in the 20th century. The church has an unusually elaborate side entrance. This was because, after several battles, the city had run out of money and could not finish the church...so, they constructed this temporary entrance. When you look even closer at the wall to the left of the door, you can still see a faint scar which indicates where the church-works stopped for a while.
Behind the church you find one of the many green areas of the city. This park is dominated by a large statue honouring Petrarca, a famous Italian poet, coming from Arezzo. The French-styled park leads to The Medici Fortress, built by Cosimo I in the 16th century to reinforce the Florentine dominance in the city. It takes the form of a star with five points and was built with stone quarried from the Roman amphitheater at the base of the city.
Below the park is the house of Petrarca, who is often referred to as the "Father of Humanism." In this same little alcove, you will find a well from the 15th century, known as the well of Tofano which is immortalized in Boccaccio's “Decamerone”.
A little down the street take left into the Vasari Loggia, with its lofty arches and antique doors to shops and cafes, that leads to the Piazza Grande.
The square has a significant slope (with a difference of almost 10 meters!) designed to funnel off the water when it rained. It is here, where an antique fair (La Fiera Antiquaria) takes place every first weekend of the month. It is considered the largest antique market in Italy and runs continuosly for almost 60 years. Many of the furniture pieces in our Chiancianello were bought there as from time to time you find great value there.
Twice a year the Piazza Grande hosts the famous Giostro dei Saracino festival. The festival recreates the atmosphere of medieval Arezzo as the 4 quarters of the city compete against each other in a joust to win the Golden Lance. Each knight gallops on horseback with a wooden lance and aims at the Buratto (metal puppet). The event has its origins in the Middle Ages, and it was considered a military training for knights.
As you stand in the square, notice the medieval house skyline, the romanesque design on the back of the Pieve and a public fountain from the 16th century. Now, take the street exiting at the bottom end of the square and come back towards Corso Italia and the front entrance of the church Pieve of Arezzo, with its column-decorated façade. Both the back and the front façade contain a matching mix of columns and are considered one of the best-known examples of Romanesque architecture.
You can get lost in the little streets of the old town but the life centers around the Piazza Grande with many caffes and restaurants surrounding it. As you leave the center, you can continue walking down past the Duomo and reach the Roman amphitheatreat the bottom of the city
which once held approximately 13.000 persons. You may also visit
the Archaeological museum behind the amphitheatre with an impressive collection from Etruscan and Roman times.
CORTONA
Under preparation
ORVIETO
Orvieto is already part of Umbria, but still pretty close to Chiancianello - makes for a beautiful one-day trip (and is appreciated even by kids!).
The position of the town is its first attraction - it is perched on top of a steep tufa hill. As you climb the hill by car, you can park at the Parking Piazza Cahen.
It is closest to one of the main attractions of Orvieto - Pozzo di San Patrizio (St. Patrick’s Well). The well was commissioned by Pope Clemens VII in the 16th century: he faced political turmoil with Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor. The encounter between the two reached its crucial point when the emperor's underpaid and rebellious troops staged a mutiny, marched on Rome and held the Pope hostage for 6 months at the Castel Sant’Angelo. The pope fled Rome disguised as a servant and sought refuge in Orvieto. Fearing troops might lay siege to the Orvieto, the pope commissioned architect-engineer, Antonio da Sangallo, to build an underground well in case the pope could not travel outside its fortress walls.
The well is 62 meters deep, 13.5 meters wide and has 2 DNA-like staircases that never meet, with 248 steps each. The design permitted mule-drawn carts carrying water bags to descend and ascend without ever colliding. There are 72 window, which let some light in, creating a surreal atmosphere and giving the well its name - the Dark chamber. Just by the way - Pope Clement VII and Charles V solved their differences and Orvieto remained invasion-free :-)
Once in Orvieto, your feet will naturally take you to the Duomo. From the outside, you will be struck by the black-and-white stripes in marble on the body of the Duomo combined with the brilliantly glittering mosaics on the golden facade. The mosaics depict scenes from the life of the Virgin Mary, there is a beautiful rose window and massive bronze door into the main nave. The interior is worth visiting, although you may need some guidance to see all that there is to be seen… Yet, we have always wondered why would Orvieto have a cathedral only comparable to those of Florence and Siena? Well, you might have guessed it has something to do with papacy. Pope Urban IV had made the city his home due to its enviable position: built on a steep hill and controlling the road between Rome and Florence. The Holy miracle of Bolsena also helped: during a mass led by a dubting priest Peter of Prague, blood began to trickle from the Holy bread and dripped on the altar and corporal (the linen altar cloth). Today, the corporal is preserved in the large silver shrine in the Capella del Corporale inside the Duomo.
Once in the Piazza del Duomo, take notice of the Maurizio Tower to the north of the square: with its funny little automated timekeeper and bell at the top, it was built to mark the workday for workers building the Duomo (which took 300 years to complete!).
A short walk from the Duomo, you will find the Moro Tower, symbolically located at the intersection of the four districts that form the city. The structure is made of local tufa stone and stands 50 metres high, with two bells placed on top. The views from the tower’s terrace are truly breathtaking.
Curiosity: at the base of the Tower, on Via della Costituente, there is an inscription taken from Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy, which refers to the fierce medieval disputes between the powerful local families of the Monaldeschi and Filippeschi: "Come and see Montecchi and Cappelletti, Monaldi and Filippeschi, unscrupulous men, who are already sad and these with suspicion!
If you enjoyed the St Patrick’s Well, you may also want to visit the Underground Orvieto. It consists of 1200 tunnels dug into the ground, as well as wells, cisterns and ducts, kilns, oil mills, stables and warehouses. While some of them date back to the Etruscan era of almost 3000 years ago, the underground itself was discovered by chance: in 1970, a large hole opened up in the city center as a result of a landslide that brought great damage to the area.
If you need a “green” rest, walk to The Rocca Albornoz. It dates back to the 14th century, when Cardinal Albornoz was asked to restore power in the Papal State. Nowadays, it is a lovely public garden with beautiful views into the valley.