Arezzo ( , , ) , also ; ett, 𐌀𐌓𐌉𐌕𐌉𐌌, Aritim. is a city and '' comune'' in Italy and the capital of the province of the same name located in Tuscany. Arezzo is about southeast of Florence at an elevation of

above sea level Height above mean sea level is a measure of the vertical distance (height, elevation or altitude) of a location in reference to a historic mean sea level taken as a vertical datum. In geodesy, it is formalized as ''orthometric heights''. The comb ...

. 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,

Guido of 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 ...

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

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 ...

. The city is also known for the important

Giostra del Saracino The Saracen joust of Arezzo (''Giostra del Saracino'', ''Giostra ad burattum'') is an ancient game of chivalry. It dates back to the Middle Ages. It was born as an exercise for military training. This tournament was regularly held in Arezzo betw ...

, a game of

chivalry Chivalry, or the chivalric code, is an informal and varying code of conduct developed in Europe between 1170 and 1220. It was associated with the medieval Christian institution of knighthood; knights' and gentlemen's behaviours were governed b ...

that dates back to the Middle Ages.

History

Described by Livy as one of the ''Capita Etruriae'' (Etruscan capitals), Arezzo (''Aritim'' in Etruscan) is believed to have been one of the twelve most important Etruscan 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, rough ...

. 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 Florence. Increasing trade connections with Greece also brought some elite goods to the Etruscan nobles of Arezzo: the krater painted by Euphronios 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 let ...

in 311 BC, ''Arretium'' became a military station on the via Cassia, 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 Gaius Cilnius Maecenas ( – 8 BC) was a friend and political advisor to Octavian (who later reigned as emperor Augustus). He was also an important patron for the new generation of Augustan poets, including both Horace and Virgil. During the rei ...

, whose name has become eponymous 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 ...

, ''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 Lucius Petronius Taurus Volusianus (died c.286 AD) was a Roman citizen, apparently of equestrian origins, whose career in the Imperial Service in the mid-Third Century AD carried him from a relatively modest station in life to the highest public ...

. 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. The Roman city was demolished, partly in the course of the Gothic War and of the late-6th-century invasion of the Lombards, partly dismantled, as elsewhere throughout Europe. The Aretines re-used the stones for fortifications. Only the

amphitheater 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 ...

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 in tendency, it opposed Guelph Florence. In 1252 the city founded its university, the ''Studium''. After the rout of the

Battle of Campaldino The Battle of Campaldino was a battle between the Guelphs and Ghibellines on 11 June 1289. Mixed bands of pro-papal Guelf forces of Florence and allies, Pistoia, Lucca, Siena, and Prato, all loosely commanded by the paid ''condottiero'' Amerigo di ...

(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 370px, Panel from Guido Tarlati's tomb representing the capture of the castle of Caprese. Guido Tarlati (died 1327) was a lord and Bishop of Arezzo. Tarlati was a member of the leading Ghibelline family of Arezzo, who were centered in their fi ...

, 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 E ...

and its overlords, the Ordelaffi, 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 Piero della Francesca ( 1415–1492) worked in the church of

San Francesco di Arezzo The Basilica of San Francesco is a late Medieval church in Arezzo, Tuscany, Italy, dedicated to St Francis of Assisi. It is especially renowned for housing in the chancel the fresco cycle ''Legends of the True Cross'' by Piero della Francesca. ...

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 malarial. At the end of the-century French troops led by Napoleon Bonaparte 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. City buildings suffered heavy damage during World War II; 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 The 2nd New Zealand Division, initially the New Zealand Division, was an infantry division of the New Zealand Military Forces (New Zealand's army) during the Second World War. The division was commanded for most of its existence by Lieutenant-Ge ...

, 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 mil ...

Arezzo War Cemetery Arezzo War Cemetery is a war cemetery operated by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, to the North West of the city of Arezzo, Italy. It was established in November 1944, to house the remains of Allied casualties from World War II. The remai ...

, where 1,266 men are buried, is located to the north-west of the city. Pope Benedict XVI visited Arezzo and two other Italian municipalities on May 13, 2012.

Geography

Arezzo is set on a steep hill rising from the floodplain of the

River Arno The Arno is a river in the Tuscany region of Italy. It is the most important river of central Italy after the Tiber. Source and route The river originates on Monte Falterona in the Casentino area of the Apennines, and initially takes a s ...

. 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 , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1 ...

, albeit it is slightly more vulnerable than Florence. Notable earthquakes are still a very rare phenomenon in the province, 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 The Saracen joust of Arezzo (''Giostra del Saracino'', ''Giostra ad burattum'') is an ancient game of chivalry. It dates back to the Middle Ages. It was born as an exercise for military training. This tournament was regularly held in Arezzo betwe ...

(''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 Italy, 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 charg ...

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

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 simp ...

. * 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 t ...

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 façade designed by Giorgio Vasari. *Episcopal Palace, seat of the bishops, rebuilt in the mid-13th century. The interior has frescoes by

Salvi Castellucci Salvi Castellucci (1608–1672) was an Italian painter of the Baroque period, active mainly in Arezzo where he painted frescos on the ceiling (fourth and fifth aisles) of Arezzo Cathedral. He trained in Rome with Pietro da Cortona Pietro da Co ...

, 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 Giambologna (1529 – 13 August 1608), also known as Jean de Boulogne (French), Jehan Boulongne (Flemish) and Giovanni da Bologna (Italian), was the last significant Italian Renaissance sculptor, with a large workshop producing large and small ...

. *''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 windows. 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 loggias 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 (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 Giovanni di Agostino, or Giovanni D'Agostino (c. 1310–c. 1370) was an Italian gothic art sculptor in Siena. Giovanni was the son of sculptor and architect Agostino da Siena (c. 1285 – c. 1347; also known as Agostino di Giovanni) and th ...

. The ''Pieve'' was again renovated by Giorgio Vasari 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 denominat ...

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 Piero della Francesca 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 w ...

. *'' 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 ''The History of the True Cross'' or ''The Legend of the True Cross'' is a sequence of frescoes painted by Piero della Francesca in the Basilica of San Francesco in Arezzo. It is his largest work, and generally considered one of his finest, a ...

'' fresco (1453–1464) cycle by Piero della Francesca 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 ''Bibl ...

. 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 The Badia delle Sante Flora e Lucilla or Abbey of Saints Flora e Lucilla is a Medieval abbey in Arezzo, Tuscany, Italy. History Construction of the church began in 1278; and by 1315, the adjacent monastery was built. The cloister (1489) was des ...

'' (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 Andrea Pozzo (; Latinized version: ''Andreas Puteus''; 30 November 1642 – 31 August 1709) was an Italian Jesuit brother, Baroque painter, architect, decorator, stage designer, and art theoretician. Pozzo was best known for his grandiose fresc ...

(1702). There are also a ''St. Lawrence'' fresco by

Bartolomeo della Gatta Bartolomeo della Gatta (1448–1502), born Pietro di Antonio Dei, was an Italian (Florentine) painter, illuminator, and architect. He was the son of a goldsmith. He was a colleague of Fra Bartolommeo. In 1468, Bartolomeo became a monk in the O ...

(1476) and a ''Crucifix'' by

Segna di Buonaventura Segna di Bonaventura, also known as Segna de Bonaventura, and as Segna di Buonaventura, was an Italian painter of the Sienese School. He was active from about 1298 to 1331. In 1306 he painted a panel for the office of the Biccherna in the Pala ...

(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 Bernardino of Siena, OFM (8 September 138020 May 1444), also known as Bernardine, was an Italian priest and Franciscan missionary preacher in Italy. He was a systematizer of Scholastic economics. His preaching, his book burnings, and his " bo ...

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 t ...

'', 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. 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 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 (''Casa del Petrarca''). *'' Casa Vasari'' (in ''Via XX Settembre'') an older house rebuilt in 1547 by Giorgio Vasari 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 UnoAErre Italia is a goldsmith, jewelry and watchmaking company based in Arezzo, Italy. The company manufactures, distributes and exports of gold and jewelry in Italy and abroad. History The company was founded on March 15, 1926 by Leopoldo Gori ...

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 going ...

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

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 Giovanni Filippo Apolloni (1620 – 15 May 1688) was an Italian poet and librettist. Born in Arezzo, he has sometimes been referred to as "Giovanni Apollonio Apolloni", but the second given name is spurious.Walker, Thomas (2001)"Apolloni, Giovanni ...

, 17th century poet and librettist; born in Arezzo * Pietro Aretino, author, playwright, poet and satirist; inventor modern literate pornography * Roberto Benigni, 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 o ...

, 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 * Piero della Francesca, painter; born in the province of Arezzo and spent most of his life in the city *

Bartolomeo di ser Gorello Bartolomeo di ser Gorello (1322/26 – ca. 1390), also known by the Latinized name Bartholomeus Gorellus, was an Italian notary who wrote a town chronicle of Arezzo in Italian verse. The ''Cronica dei fatti d'Arezzo'' is important to historians fo ...

, 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 alongside ...

, avant garde composer * Federico Luzzi, professional tennis player * Petrarch, 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 kn ...

, rock band * Poggio Bracciolini artist; born near the town *

Francesco Redi Francesco Redi (18 February 1626 – 1 March 1697) was an Italian physician, naturalist, biologist, and poet. He is referred to as the "founder of experimental biology", and as the "father of modern parasitology". He was the first person to ch ...

, 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 '' ...

, American actors; born in Arezzo * Giorgio Vasari, painter, architect, and biographer *

Fabio Bidini Fabio Bidini (born in Arezzo on 11 June 1968) is an Italian pianist. He was a finalist at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in Fort Worth in 1993. He teaches at the Colburn School in Los Angeles, where he holds a piano chair endowed b ...

, 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