Arezzo ( , , ) , also ; ett, 𐌀𐌓𐌉𐌕𐌉𐌌, Aritim. is a city and ''

comune The (; plural: ) is a local administrative division of Italy, roughly equivalent to a township or municipality. It is the third-level administrative division of Italy, after regions ('' regioni'') and provinces (''province''). The can also ...

'' in Italy and the capital of the province of the same name located in

Tuscany it, Toscano (man) it, Toscana (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = Citizenship , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = Italian , demogra ...

. Arezzo is about southeast of

Florence Florence ( ; it, Firenze ) is a city in Central Italy and the capital city of the Tuscany Regions of Italy, region. It is the most populated city in Tuscany, with 383,083 inhabitants in 2016, and over 1,520,000 in its metropolitan area.Bilan ...

at an elevation of above sea level. As of 2022, the population was about 97,000. Known as the city of gold and of the high fashion, Arezzo was home to artists and poets such as

Giorgio Vasari Giorgio Vasari (, also , ; 30 July 1511 – 27 June 1574) was an Italian Renaissance Master, who worked as a painter, architect, engineer, writer, and historian, who is best known for his work '' The Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculp ...

, Guido of Arezzo and

Guittone d'Arezzo Guittone d'Arezzo (Arezzo, 1235 – 1294) was a Tuscan poet and the founder of the Tuscan School. He was an acclaimed secular love poet before his conversion in the 1260s, when he became a religious poet joining the Order of the Blessed Virgi ...

and in its

province A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman '' provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...

to Renaissance artist Michelangelo. In the artistic field, the city is famous for the frescoes by

Piero della Francesca Piero della Francesca (, also , ; – 12 October 1492), originally named Piero di Benedetto, was an Italian painter of the Early Renaissance. To contemporaries he was also known as a mathematician and geometer. Nowadays Piero della Francesca i ...

inside the Basilica of San Francesco, and the crucifix by

Cimabue Cimabue (; ; – 1302), Translated with an introduction and notes by J.C. and P Bondanella. Oxford: Oxford University Press (Oxford World’s Classics), 1991, pp. 7–14. . also known as Cenni di Pepo or Cenni di Pepi, was an Italian painter ...

inside the

Basilica of San Domenico The Basilica of San Domenico is one of the major churches in Bologna, Italy. The remains of Saint Dominic, founder of the Order of Preachers ( Dominicans), are buried inside the exquisite shrine Arca di San Domenico, made by Nicola Pisano and hi ...

. The city is also known for the important Giostra del Saracino, a game of chivalry that dates back to the Middle Ages.

History

Described by

Livy Titus Livius (; 59 BC – AD 17), known in English as Livy ( ), was a Roman historian. He wrote a monumental history of Rome and the Roman people, titled , covering the period from the earliest legends of Rome before the traditional founding in ...

as one of the ''Capita Etruriae'' (Etruscan capitals), Arezzo (''Aritim'' in

Etruscan __NOTOC__ Etruscan may refer to: Ancient civilization *The Etruscan language, an extinct language in ancient Italy *Something derived from or related to the Etruscan civilization **Etruscan architecture **Etruscan art **Etruscan cities ** Etrusca ...

) is believed to have been one of the twelve most important

cities—the so-called Dodecapolis, part of the

Etruscan League The Etruscan civilization () was developed by a people of Etruria in ancient Italy with a common language and culture who formed a federation of city-states. After conquering adjacent lands, its territory covered, at its greatest extent, roug ...

. Etruscan remains establish that the acropolis of San Cornelio, a small hill next to that of San Donatus, was occupied and fortified in the Etruscan period. There is other significant Etruscan evidence: parts of walls, an Etruscan necropolis on ''Poggio del Sole'' (still named "Hill of the Sun"), and most famously, the two bronzes, the "

Chimera of Arezzo The Chimera of Arezzo is regarded as the best example of ancient Etruscan art. The British art historian David Ekserdjian described the sculpture as "one of the most arresting of all animal sculptures and the supreme masterpiece of Etruscan bron ...

" (5th century BC) and the "Minerva" (4th century BC) which were discovered in the 16th century and taken to

. Increasing trade connections with

Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders ...

also brought some elite goods to the Etruscan nobles of Arezzo: the

krater A krater or crater ( grc-gre, , ''kratēr'', literally "mixing vessel") was a large two-handled shape of vase in Ancient Greek pottery and metalwork, mostly used for the mixing of wine with water. Form and function At a Greek symposium, krat ...

painted by

Euphronios Euphronios ( el, Εὐφρόνιος; c. 535 – after 470 BC) was an ancient Greek vase painter and potter, active in Athens in the late 6th and early 5th centuries BC. As part of the so-called "Pioneer Group," (a modern name given to a group ...

c. 510 BC depicting a battle against Amazons (in the Museo Civico
Arezzo 1465
is unsurpassed. ArikameduRomanCeramic

Conquered by the

Romans Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy * Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...

in 311 BC, ''Arretium'' became a military station on the

via Cassia The ''Via Cassia'' ("way of Cassius") was an important Roman road striking out of the ''Via Flaminia'' near the Milvian Bridge in the immediate vicinity of Rome and, passing not far from Veii, traversed Etruria. The ''Via Cassia'' passed through ...

, the road by which Rome expanded into the basin of the Po. Arretium sided with Marius (157 – 86 BC) in the

Roman Civil War This is a list of civil wars and organized civil disorder, revolts and rebellions in ancient Rome (Roman Kingdom, Roman Republic, and Roman Empire) until the fall of the Western Roman Empire (753 BCE – 476 CE). For the Eastern Roman Empire or B ...

, and the victorious Sulla ( 138 – 78 BC) planted a colony of his veterans in the half-demolished city, as ''Arretium Fidens'' ("Faithful Arretium"). The old Etruscan aristocracy was not extinguished: Gaius Cilnius Maecenas, whose name has become

eponym An eponym is a person, a place, or a thing after whom or which someone or something is, or is believed to be, named. The adjectives which are derived from the word eponym include ''eponymous'' and ''eponymic''. Usage of the word The term ''epon ...

ous with "patron of the arts", came of the noble Aretine Etruscan stock. The city continued to flourish as ''Arretium Vetus'' ("Old Arretium"), the third-largest city in Italy in the Augustan period, well known in particular for its widely exported pottery manufactures, the characteristic moulded and glazed

Arretine ware Terra sigillata is a term with at least three distinct meanings: as a description of medieval medicinal earth; in archaeology, as a general term for some of the fine red Ancient Roman pottery with glossy surface slips made in specific areas of t ...

, ''bucchero''-ware of dark clay and red-painted vases (the so-called "coral" vases). Around 261 AD the town council of Arezzo dedicated an inscription to its patron L. Petronius Taurus Volusianus. See that article for discussion of the possible political/military significance of Volusianus's association with the city. In the 3rd to 4th century Arezzo became an episcopal seat: it is one of the few cities whose succession of bishops are known by name without interruption to the present day, in part because the bishops operated as the feudal lords of the city in the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...

. The Roman city was demolished, partly in the course of the Gothic War and of the late-6th-century invasion of the

Lombards The Lombards () or Langobards ( la, Langobardi) were a Germanic people who ruled most of the Italian Peninsula from 568 to 774. The medieval Lombard historian Paul the Deacon wrote in the '' History of the Lombards'' (written between 787 an ...

, partly dismantled, as elsewhere throughout

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located entirel ...

. The Aretines re-used the stones for fortifications. Only the amphitheater remained. The commune of Arezzo threw off the control of its bishop in 1098 and functioned as an independent

city-state A city-state is an independent sovereign city which serves as the center of political, economic, and cultural life over its contiguous territory. They have existed in many parts of the world since the dawn of history, including cities such as ...

until 1384. Generally

Ghibelline The Guelphs and Ghibellines (, , ; it, guelfi e ghibellini ) were factions supporting the Pope and the Holy Roman Emperor, respectively, in the Italian city-states of Central Italy and Northern Italy. During the 12th and 13th centuries, rival ...

in tendency, it opposed

Guelph Guelph ( ; 2021 Canadian Census population 143,740) is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. Known as "The Royal City", Guelph is roughly east of Kitchener and west of Downtown Toronto, at the intersection of Highway 6, Highway 7 and Wel ...

Florence. In 1252 the city founded its university, the ''Studium''. After the rout of the Battle of Campaldino (1289), which saw the death of Bishop , the fortunes of Ghibelline Arezzo started to ebb, apart from a brief period under the Tarlati family, chief among them Guido Tarlati, who became bishop in 1312 and maintained good relations with the Ghibelline party. The Tarlati sought support in an alliance with

Forlì Forlì ( , ; rgn, Furlè ; la, Forum Livii) is a ''comune'' (municipality) and city in Emilia-Romagna, Northern Italy, and is the capital of the province of Forlì-Cesena. It is the central city of Romagna. The city is situated along the Via ...

and its overlords, the

Ordelaffi The House of Ordelaffi was a noble family that ruled the lower Romagna and Napoli from the 13th century to 1504, with some interregnums. History The Ordelaffi origins are unclear, but themselves claimed a lineage with "Lor de Laffia", a Germanic ...

, but failed: Arezzo yielded to Florentine domination in 1384; its individual history became subsumed in that of Florence and of the Medicean Grand Duchy of Tuscany. During this period

( 1415–1492) worked in the church of San Francesco di Arezzo producing the splendid frescoes, recently restored, which are Arezzo's most famous works. Afterwards the city began an economical and cultural decay, which ensured the preservation of its medieval centre. In the 18th century the neighbouring marshes of the

Val di Chiana The Val di Chiana, Valdichiana, or Chiana Valley is an alluvial valley of central Italy, lying on the territories of the provinces of Arezzo and Siena in Tuscany and the provinces of Perugia and Terni in Umbria. Geography The Val di Chiana is ...

, south of Arezzo, were drained and the region became less

malaria Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects humans and other animals. Malaria causes symptoms that typically include fever, tiredness, vomiting, and headaches. In severe cases, it can cause jaundice, seizures, coma, or death. S ...

l. At the end of the-century French troops led by

Napoleon Bonaparte Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader wh ...

conquered Arezzo, but the city soon turned (1799–1800) into a resistance base against the invaders with the "Viva Maria" movement, winning the city the role of provincial capital. In 1860 Arezzo became part of the

Kingdom of Italy The Kingdom of Italy ( it, Regno d'Italia) was a state that existed from 1861, when Victor Emmanuel II of Sardinia was proclaimed King of Italy, until 1946, when civil discontent led to an institutional referendum to abandon the monarchy and f ...

. City buildings suffered heavy damage during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

; the Germans made a stand in front of Arezzo early in July 1944 and fierce fighting ensued before the British 6th Armoured Division, assisted by New Zealand troops of the 2nd New Zealand Division, liberated the town 16 July 1944. The

Commonwealth War Graves Commission The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) is an intergovernmental organisation of six independent member states whose principal function is to mark, record and maintain the graves and places of commemoration of Commonwealth of Nations m ...

's Arezzo War Cemetery, where 1,266 men are buried, is located to the north-west of the city.

Pope Benedict XVI Pope Benedict XVI ( la, Benedictus XVI; it, Benedetto XVI; german: link=no, Benedikt XVI.; born Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger, , on 16 April 1927) is a retired prelate of the Catholic church who served as the head of the Church and the soverei ...

visited Arezzo and two other Italian municipalities on May 13, 2012.

Geography

Arezzo is set on a steep hill rising from the

floodplain A floodplain or flood plain or bottomlands is an area of land adjacent to a river which stretches from the banks of its channel to the base of the enclosing valley walls, and which experiences flooding during periods of high discharge.Goudi ...

of the River Arno. In the upper part of the town are the cathedral, the town hall and the Medici Fortress (''Fortezza Medicea''), from which the main streets branch off towards the lower part as far as the gates. The upper part of the town maintains its medieval appearance despite the addition of later structures. Arezzo's city proper is near the high risk areas for earthquakes, but located in a transitional area where the risk for severe earthquakes is much lower than in nearby

Umbria it, Umbro (man) it, Umbra (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1_info1 = , ...

and Abruzzo, albeit it is slightly more vulnerable than

. Notable earthquakes are still a very rare phenomenon in the

, with a 4.6 quake to its north-east that claimed no lives on 26 November 2001 the exception.

Climate

Government

Hamlets

* Agazzi * Antria * Badia San Veriano * Bagnoro * Battifolle * Bicciano * Campoluci * Campriano * Capolona * Ceciliano * Chiani * Chiassa Superiore * Cincelli * Frassineto * Gaville * Giovi * Gragnone * Il Matto * Indicatore * La Pace * Le Poggiola * Meliciano * Misciano * Molinelli * Molin Nuovo * Monte Sopra Rondine * Montione * Mugliano * Olmo * Ottavo * Palazzo del Pero * Patrignone * Pieve a Ranco * Poggio Ciliegio * Policiano * Pomaio * Ponte a Chiani * Ponte alla Chiassa * Pieve a Quarto * Ponte Buriano * Poti * Pratantico * Puglia * Policiano * Quarata * Rigutino * Ripa di Olmo * Rondine * Ruscello * San Firenze * San Giuliano * San Leo * San Marco Vill'Alba * San Polo * Santa Firmina * Santa Maria alla Rassinata * Sant'Andrea a Pigli * San Zeno * Sargiano * Staggiano * Stoppe d'Arca * Subbiano * Talla * Torrino * Tregozzano * Venere * Vitiano

Culture

Festivals

*Arezzo is home to an annual international competition of choral singing Concorso Polifónico

Guido d'Arezzo Guido of Arezzo ( it, Guido d'Arezzo; – after 1033) was an Italian music theorist and pedagogue of High medieval music. A Benedictine monk, he is regarded as the inventor—or by some, developer—of the modern staff notation that had a ma ...

(''International Guido d'Arezzo Polyphonic Contest''). *Arezzo is home to an annual medieval festival called the Saracen Joust (''Giostra del Saracino''). In this, "knights" on horseback representing different areas of the town charge at a wooden target attached to a carving of a Saracen king and score points according to accuracy. Virtually all the town's people dress up in medieval costume and enthusiastically cheer on the competitors. *From 1986 to 2006 Arezzo was also home to an annual popular music and culture festival, each July, called

Arezzo Wave Arezzo Wave is a famous Italian festival that takes place every July in Arezzo since 1987. Born exclusively as a launching platform for young Italian rock groups, in its current form, the festival lasts six days and is totally free of charge. In r ...

. Publicly funded, it attracts bands of high repute and attendees from all over Europe and North America. It also features literary and film expositions. In 2007 it was replaced by PLAY Arezzo Art Festival, still about rock music, involving local bands. Some artists invited in 2007 and 2008 were: Negrita, Peter Gabriel, Lou Reed, Joan Baez, Ben Harper, Goran Bregovic, Carmen Consoli, Max Gazzè, Peter Brook.

In popular culture

* Arezzo has a starring role in

Roberto Benigni Roberto Remigio Benigni (; born 27 October 1952) is an Italian actor, comedian, screenwriter and director. He gained international recognition for writing, directing and starring in the Holocaust comedy-drama film ''Life Is Beautiful'' (1997), f ...

's film ''

Life Is Beautiful ''Life Is Beautiful'' ( it, La vita è bella, ) is a 1997 Italian comedy drama film directed by and starring Roberto Benigni, who co-wrote the film with Vincenzo Cerami. Benigni plays Guido Orefice, a Jewish Italian bookshop owner, who emplo ...

'' (''La vita è bella'', 1997). It is the place in which the main characters live before they are shipped off to a

Nazi Nazism ( ; german: Nazismus), the common name in English for National Socialism (german: Nationalsozialismus, ), is the far-right totalitarian political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in ...

concentration camp Internment is the imprisonment of people, commonly in large groups, without charges or intent to file charges. The term is especially used for the confinement "of enemy citizens in wartime or of terrorism suspects". Thus, while it can simpl ...

. * Arretium was used in the PC game'' Rome: Total War'' as the Capital of the Roman Faction of

Julii The gens Julia (''gēns Iūlia'', ) was one of the most prominent patrician families in ancient Rome. Members of the gens attained the highest dignities of the state in the earliest times of the Republic. The first of the family to obtain the ...

Main sights

Arezzo Campanile - Santa Maria della Pieve

Arezzo-Chiesa di san Domenico-Crocifisso di Cimabue-closeup

Tarlati-polyptych-Pietro Lorenzetti Pieve di santa Maria Arezzo

Piazza Grande

The Piazza Grande is the most noteworthy medieval square in the city, opening behind the 13th century Romanesque apse of

Santa Maria della Pieve Santa Maria della Pieve is a church in Arezzo, Tuscany, central Italy. History The church is documented since as early as 1008, and, during the communal period of Arezzo, it was the stronghold of the city's struggle against its bishops. After ...

. Once the main marketplace of the city, it is currently the site of the ''Giostra del Saracino'' ("Joust of the Saracen"). It has a sloping pavement in red brick with limestone geometrical lines. Aside from the apse of the church, other landmarks of the square include: *The Palace of the Lay Fraternity (''Fraternita dei Laici''): 14th–15th century palazzo, with a Gothic ground floor and a quattrocento second floor by

Bernardo Rossellino Bernardo di Matteo del Borra Gamberelli (1409 Settignano – 1464 Florence), better known as Bernardo Rossellino, was an Italian Renaissance sculptor and architect, the elder brother of the sculptor Antonio Rossellino. As a member of the secon ...

. *The ''Vasari Loggia'' along the north side, a flat

Mannerist Mannerism, which may also be known as Late Renaissance, is a style in European art that emerged in the later years of the Italian High Renaissance around 1520, spreading by about 1530 and lasting until about the end of the 16th century in Ita ...

façade designed by

. *Episcopal Palace, seat of the bishops, rebuilt in the mid-13th century. The interior has frescoes by Salvi Castellucci, Teofilo Torri and

Pietro Benvenuti Pietro Benvenuti (8 January 1769 – 3 February 1844) was an Italian neoclassical painter. Biography Born in Arezzo in Tuscany, he was influenced by the style of Jacques-Louis David. He was a student of the Academy of Fine Arts of Florence, th ...

. In front of the Palace is the Monument to Grand Duke

Ferdinando I de' Medici Ferdinando I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany (30 July 1549 – 3 February 1609) was Grand Duke of Tuscany from 1587 to 1609, having succeeded his older brother Francesco I. Early life Ferdinando was the fifth son (the third surviving at t ...

(1595), by Pietro Francavilla, following a design of Giambologna. *''Palazzo Cofani-Brizzolari'', with the ''Torre Faggiolana''. *Remains of the Communal Palace and the ''Palazzo del Popolo'' can also be seen.

Churches

*''

'': The most striking feature of this Romanesque church is the massive, square-planned bell tower with double orders of

mullioned window A mullion is a vertical element that forms a division between units of a window or screen, or is used decoratively. It is also often used as a division between double doors. When dividing adjacent window units its primary purpose is a rigid supp ...

s. The church was built in the 12th century over a pre-existing Palaeo-Christian edifice, and was renovated a century later with the addition of the characteristic façade made of

loggia In architecture, a loggia ( , usually , ) is a covered exterior gallery or corridor, usually on an upper level, but sometimes on the ground level of a building. The outer wall is open to the elements, usually supported by a series of columns ...

s with small arches surmounted by all different-styled columns. Also from the same century is the lunette with the ''Virgin between Two Angels'' and the sculptures of the months (1216) over the main portal. the interior has a nave and two aisles, with a transept also added in the 13th century. In the following century chapels, niches and frescoes were added, including the polyptych of ''Virgin with Child and Saints'' by

Pietro Lorenzetti Pietro Lorenzetti (; – 1348) or Pietro Laurati was an Italian painter, active between c. 1306 and 1345. Together with his younger brother Ambrogio, he introduced naturalism into Sienese art. In their artistry and experiments with three-dimen ...

(1320). In the crypt is a relic bust of St. Donatus (1346). From the same epoch is the hexagonal baptismal font, with panels of the ''Histories of St. John the Baptist'', by Giovanni di Agostino. The ''Pieve'' was again renovated by

in 1560. *''

Cathedral A cathedral is a church that contains the '' cathedra'' () of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually specific to those Christian denominatio ...

of Saint Donatus'' (13th – early 16th centuries): The façade of this

Gothic Gothic or Gothics may refer to: People and languages *Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes **Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths **Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken b ...

style church remained unfinished, and was added in the 20th century. The interior has a nave and aisles divided by massive pilasters. The left aisle has a fresco by

portraying the ''Madeleine''. Noteworthy are also the medieval stained glass, the Tarlati Chapel (1334) and the Gothic tomb of Pope

Gregory X Pope Gregory X ( la, Gregorius X; – 10 January 1276), born Teobaldo Visconti, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 1 September 1271 to his death and was a member of the Secular Franciscan Order. He was ...

. *'' Basilica of ''San Francesco'''' (13th–14th centuries): Built in Tuscan-Gothic style. Of the projected façade cover in sculpted stone only the lower band was completed. The interior has a single nave: the main attraction is the '' History of the True Cross'' fresco (1453–1464) cycle by

in the Bacci Chapel. Under the church is another Basilica with a nave and two aisles (''Basilica inferiore''), today used for art exhibitions. *''

'' (founded in 1275 and completed in the early 14th century): The interior has a single nave with a ''Crucifix'' by

, a masterwork of 13th-century Italian art. Other artworks include a ''Sts. Philip and James the Younger and St. Catherine'' by

Spinello Aretino Spinello Aretino (c. 1350 – c. 1410) was an Italian painter from Arezzo, who was active in Tuscany at the end of the 14th and the first decennium of the 15th century.San Michele'': This church has a modern façade. Traces of the original Romanesque edifice and the Gothic restoration can be seen in the interior. *'' Santa Maria in Gradi'' This medieval church was initially built in the 11th or the 12th century, but reconstructed in the late 16th century by

Bartolomeo Ammannati Bartolomeo Ammannati (18 June 151113 April 1592) was an Italian architect and sculptor, born at Settignano, near Florence. He studied under Baccio Bandinelli and Jacopo Sansovino (assisting on the design of the Library of St. Mark's, the ''Bibli ...

. The interior has a single nave with stone altars (17th century) and a ''Madonna of Misericordia'', terracotta by Andrea della Robbia. *Church of ''St. Augustine'', founded in 1257, modified in the late 15th and the late 18h centuries. The façade and the interior decoration are largely from Baroque times. The square plan bell tower is from the 15th century. *'' Badia delle Sante Flora e Lucilla'' (12th century): The abbey was built by Benedictine monks in the 12th century, it was totally restored in the 16th century under the direction of Giorgio Vasari. The octagonal bell tower is from 1650. The interior, in Mannerist style, has an illusionistic canvas depicting a false dome by Andrea Pozzo (1702). There are also a ''St. Lawrence'' fresco by Bartolomeo della Gatta (1476) and a ''Crucifix'' by Segna di Buonaventura (1319). *'' San Lorenzo'', one of the most ancient of the city, having been built before the year 1000, most likely in Palaeo-Christian times. Rebuilt in the 13th century and restored in 1538, it was totally rebuilt in 1705. The apse exterior is in Romanesque style. * Santa Maria delle Grazie, a late Gothic sanctuary with a Renaissance portal by

Benedetto da Maiano Benedetto da Maiano (1442 – May 24, 1497) was an Italian Early Renaissance sculptor. Biography Born in the village of Maiano (now part of Fiesole), he started his career as companion of his brother, the architect Giuliano da Maiano. When he ...

(1490). It has also a marble high altar by Andrea della Robbia including a pre-existing fresco by Parri di Spinello (1428–1431). The sanctuary was built over a font dedicated to

Apollo Apollo, grc, Ἀπόλλωνος, Apóllōnos, label=genitive , ; , grc-dor, Ἀπέλλων, Apéllōn, ; grc, Ἀπείλων, Apeílōn, label= Arcadocypriot Greek, ; grc-aeo, Ἄπλουν, Áploun, la, Apollō, la, Apollinis, label ...

, which was destroyed by San Bernardino of Siena in 1428, building an oratory in its place. The church was erected in 1435–1444 and has a chapel entitled to St. Bernardino. *''Santa Maria a Gradi'' (1591), a monastery existing already in 1043. It has a Baroque interior, but with an altar by a collaborator of Andrea della Robbia. *'' Santissima Trinità'': This church was built in 1348, it was totally renovated in 1723–1748 in Baroque style. It houses a 14th-century Crucifix, a banner painted by Giorgio Vasari in 1572, a painting of ''Noli me tangere'' by

Alessandro Allori Alessandro di Cristofano di Lorenzo del Bronzino Allori (Florence, 31 May 153522 September 1607) was an Italian painter of the late Mannerist Florentine school. Biography In 1540, after the death of his father, Allori was brought up and train ...

(1584) and other artworks. *''

Santa Maria Maddalena The Santa Maria Maddalena is a Roman Catholic church in Rome, named after Saint Mary Magdalene. It is located on the Via della Maddalena, one of the streets leading from the Piazza della Rotonda in the Campo Marzio area of historic Rome. It is th ...

'', built in 1561 over a pre-14th century structure. It houses a ''Madonna with Child'' (Madonna of the Rose) by Spinello Aretino, visible in the high altar (c. 1525) designed by

Guillaume de Marcillat Guillaume de Marcillat (ca. 1470–1529) was a French painter and stained glass artist. Biography He was born in La Châtre, Indre about 1470. He was in Rome by 1509, where he was employed by the popes Julius II and Leo X in the Vatican an ...

. It is now private property. *''Pieve di San Paolo'', in San Paolo, erected as Palaeo-Christian baptismal church, rebuilt in the 8th-9th centuries and then rebuilt in Romanesque style in the 13th century. The bell tower is from the 14th-15th centuries. The entire church was again renovated after the 1796 earthquake. It has kept 15th-century frescoes by

Lorentino d'Andrea Lorentino d'Andrea (c.1430–1506), was an Italian fresco painter active in Arezzo. According to the RKD he is only known for his religious works in Arezzo.

and a cyborium. The transept entrance has granite columns with marble capitals from the 5th century AD. *'' Pieve di Sant'Eugenia al Bagnoro'', in Bagnoro. Documented from 1012, it was one of the most important ''pievi'' of the diocese during the Middle Ages. The presbytery area is from the 12th century, while the rest is from the 11th century. The bell tower, partially ruined, stands on one of the three apses. *''Pieve di San Donnino a Maiano'', at Palazzo del Pero (6th–9th centuries). Documented from 1064, it replaced a Palaeo-Christian baptismal church. The frontal part was rebuilt in the 14th century. The apse has 15th century frescoes and a wooden ''Madonna with Child'' from the same age.

Others

*Roman

amphitheatre An amphitheatre (British English) or amphitheater (American English; both ) is an open-air venue used for entertainment, performances, and sports. The term derives from the ancient Greek ('), from ('), meaning "on both sides" or "around" and ...

and museum. *''Palazzo dei Priori'', erected in 1333, has been the seat of the city's magistratures until today. The edifice was numerous times restored and renovated; the interior has a court from the 16th century, a stone statue portraying a ''Madonna with Child'' (1339), frescoes, busts of illustrious Aretines, two paintings by Giorgio Vasari. The square tower is from 1337. *Medici Fortress ('' Fortezza Medicea''), designed by

Antonio da Sangallo the Younger 250px, A model of the Apostolic Palace, which was the main project of Bramante during Sangallo's apprenticeship. 250px, The church of Santa Maria di Loreto near the Rome.html"_;"title="Trajan's_Market_in_Rome">Trajan's_Market_in_Rome. image: ...

and completed in 1538–1560. It was partly dismantled by the French in the early 19th century. *''Palazzo Camaiani-Albergotti'' (14th century, renovated in the 16th century), with the ''Torre della Bigazza''. *''Palazzo Bruni-Ciocchi'', Renaissance edifice attributed to

. It is seat of the State Museum of Medieval and Modern Art. *''Palazzo Pretorio'', which was seat of the People's Captain until 1290. The façade has coat of armas of the captains, podestà and commissaries of the city from 14th to 18th century. Only one of the two original towers remains. *House of

Petrarch Francesco Petrarca (; 20 July 1304 – 18/19 July 1374), commonly anglicized as Petrarch (), was a scholar and poet of early Renaissance Italy, and one of the earliest humanists. Petrarch's rediscovery of Cicero's letters is often credited ...

(''Casa del Petrarca''). *'' Casa Vasari'' (in ''Via XX Settembre'') an older house rebuilt in 1547 by

and frescoed by him; now open as a museum, it also contains 16th-century archives. The main rooms were decorated by Vasari in an illusionist manner. The drawing room, where Vasare painted the life journey of an artist, with the artistic virtues protected by the gods of antiquite represented as heavenly bodies, is remarkable. *Ivan Bruschi House and Museum (''Casa-Museo "Ivan Bruschi"''). *Gaio Cilnio Mecenate Archeological Museum. *Civic Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art. * UnoAErre Jewelry Museum

Sports

*Associazione Calcio Arezzo (

A.C. Arezzo Società Sportiva Arezzo (formerly Associazione Sportiva Dilettantistica Atletico Arezzo and Associazione Calcio Arezzo) is an Italian association football club based in Arezzo, Tuscany. The club was formed in 1923, refounded in 1993 after goin ...

) *Vasari Rugby Arezzo *Club sommozzatori Calypso – Federazione Italiana Attività Subacquee – Sez. Terr. Arezzo (

diving Diving most often refers to: * Diving (sport), the sport of jumping into deep water * Underwater diving, human activity underwater for recreational or occupational purposes Diving or Dive may also refer to: Sports * Dive (American football), a ...

)

Notable people

See :People from Arezzo, which includes people actually born in town. *

Margaritone d'Arezzo Margarito, Margaritone da Arezzo, or Margaritone d'Arezzo (''fl. c.'' 1250–1290) was an Italian painter from Arezzo in Tuscany. Margaritone's given name was Margarito, but it was transcribed erroneously by Vasari as "Margaritone". It is by ...

, 13th-century painter * Giovanni Filippo Apolloni, 17th century poet and librettist; born in Arezzo *

Pietro Aretino Pietro Aretino (, ; 19 or 20 April 1492 – 21 October 1556) was an Italian author, playwright, poet, satirist and blackmailer, who wielded influence on contemporary art and politics. He was one of the most influential writers of his time and a ...

, author, playwright, poet and satirist; inventor modern literate pornography *

, actor and director *

Daniele Bennati Daniele Bennati (born 24 September 1980) is an Italian former road racing cyclist, who rode professionally between 2002 and 2019 for the , , , , , , and squads. Specialising in fast sprint finishes, Bennati turned professional in 2002, when ...

, cyclist *

Andrea Cesalpino Andrea Cesalpino ( Latinized as Andreas Cæsalpinus) (6 June 1524 – 23 February 1603) was a Florentine physician, philosopher and botanist. In his works he classified plants according to their fruits and seeds, rather than alphabetically ...

, physician, botanist and philosopher, born in Arezzo in 1524 *

, music theorist of the Middle Ages; inventor of modern music notation; lived in Arezzo for many years, and possibly born there *

, painter; born in the province of Arezzo and spent most of his life in the city * Bartolomeo di ser Gorello, author of the first town chronicle of Arezzo *

Luc Ferrari Luc Ferrari (February 5, 1929 – August 22, 2005) was a French composer of Italian heritage and a pioneer in musique concrète and electroacoustic music. He was a founding member of RTF's Groupe de Recherches Musicales (GRMC), working alongsid ...

, avant garde composer *

Federico Luzzi Federico Luzzi (3 January 1980 – 25 October 2008) was an Italian professional tennis player who had been ranked as high as World No. 92. Luzzi had been suspended from professional tennis in 2008 for six months after a determination was made th ...

, professional tennis player *

, poet * Michelangelo, artist; born near the town *

Negrita Negrita is an Italian rock band from Arezzo, Tuscany. Formed in 1991, the band was named after the song " Hey Negrita", included in The Rolling Stones' album ''Black and Blue'', released in 1976. The band currently consists of Paolo Bruni (also k ...

, rock band *

Poggio Bracciolini Gian Francesco Poggio Bracciolini (11 February 1380 – 30 October 1459), usually referred to simply as Poggio Bracciolini, was an Italian scholar and an early Renaissance humanist. He was responsible for rediscovering and recovering many classi ...

artist; born near the town * Francesco Redi, 17th century physician *

Dylan and Cole Sprouse Dylan Thomas Sprouse and Cole Mitchell Sprouse (born August 4, 1992) are American actors. They are twins and are sometimes referred to as the Sprouse brothers or Sprouse Bros. Their first major theatrical film role was in the 1999 comedy '' B ...

, American actors; born in Arezzo *

, painter, architect, and biographer * Fabio Bidini, pianist

Twin towns – sister cities

Arezzo is twinned with:

Notes

References

Bibliography

External links

*
Information about Arezzo and province

Giostra del Saracino official web site
an
Photos of Arezzo and the JoustPorta Crucifera's Knights
official site of the Porta Crucifera quartiere; Joust of the Saracen

including George Dennis's chapter on the Etruscan city and further links
Information about Arezzo and Province
{{Authority control Cities and towns in Tuscany Etruscan cities