Arezzo is a delightful Tuscan town that doesn’t attract as many tourists as it probably should. This is actually good news because you get to see a gorgeous place without fighting for space.
Piazza Grande is the heart of Arezzo. The sloping piazza is surrounded by magnificent buildings, including the Apse of the Chiesa Santa Maria della Pieve and the Palazzo del Tribunale, with its semicircular staircase.
The Renaissance masterpiece, Palazzo della Fraternita dei Laici, has a bell gable and clock dated 1552. The wonderful clock made by Felice da Fissato is still the original timepiece and marks not only the hours, but also the days, the phases of the moon and movement of the sun.
The Palazzo delle Logge del Vasari was begun in 1572 and finished in 1595. It is an excellent place to sit, have coffee or a delicious meal and admire one of the most beautiful piazzas in Italy.
Basilica of San Francesco is one of Arezzo’s most important churches. It is famous for its art…the Legend of the True Cross, by Piero della Francesca (1418-1492). The frescoes are incredibly beautiful.
The Chiesa Santa Maria della Pieve dates from 1008, rebuilt in 12th century and the interior in 13th century. The bell tower was built in 1330.
Above the central portal look for the Medieval polychrome sculptures. They depict the 12 months of the year.
The portal on the right shows Christ being baptised by John.
The interior is quite lovely and don’t miss the crypt.
The Arezzo Cathedral, Ss Donato e Pietro, was built between 1278 and 1511, but the facade is relatively new…1901 – 1914.
There is a beautiful park at the top of the town…a great place to wander in the late afternoon.
There are some excellent shops in Arezzo.
Here are a few random delights we spotted on our wanderings.
There is a fabulous antique market held once a month in the Piazza Grande. We bought a table for our living room here years ago…must go back one day.
The movie, Life is Beautiful, was filmed in Arezzo, so some places look a bit familiar.
We had some excellent things to eat in Arezzo…I’ll tell you about that next time.
