Tuscany’s Cities of Art: Arezzo
Arezzo is a city with very ancient origins as an important Etruscan and later, Roman centre.
In the Middle Ages, Arezzo became a powerful free commune, often led by its bishops who were counts of the Holy Roman Empire.
The historic centre still retains all the charm of its illustrious past with its main monuments filled with works by such great medieval and Renaissance artists as Cimabue, Piero della Francesca, Andrea della Robbia, and Giorgio Vasari.
Piazza Grande, also known as Piazza Vasari, is the centre of the city. With its unusual layout, it is overlooked by such historic buildings such as the Palazzo del Tribunale, the Palazzo della Fraternità dei Laici, and the magnificent Palazzo delle Logge.
There are many monuments and places to see in this beautiful city.
- The Roman amphitheatre, built in the 1st A.D.
- Piazza Guido D’Arezzo dates back to the 1800s and is named for the inventor of modern musical notation and the four-line stave.
- The birthplace of the poet Petrarch is in Via dell’Orto. It was here that the famous poet was born in 1304.
- The Medici fortress was built in 1500 by the Medici family of Florence.
Traditions and Folklore
- Among the events taking place in Arezzo is the Giostra del Saracino, which takes place the third Saturday of June and the first Sunday in September. It evokes the city’s medieval history, with a competition between galloping riders preceded by a historical procession consisting of three hundred participants including flag throwers.
- The Antiques Fair is also held on the first Sunday of each month and the preceding Saturday.
Today, Arezzo’s creative genius is expressed in the goldsmith’s art, making it world-famous as the city of gold.