As far as the magnificent Val d’Orcia is concerned it was impossible not to quote the Gladiator movie, being the area around San Quirico d’Orcia chosen as the main set for one of the most iconic scenes of the movie. Talking about Arezzo it is equally impossible not to mention La Vita è Bella (“Life is Beautiful”), a famous Italian movie about the cruel deportation of Jews in the Nazi concentration camps during WWII.
Awarded three Oscars in 1999, it was masterfully directed and interpreted by the Italian filmmaker, comedian and actor Roberto Benigni, born in Castiglion Fiorentino, a 13,000-people village in the province of Arezzo, about 20 minutes by car far from the town. He chose to shoot a lot of scenes of his masterpiece in some of Arezzo’s most iconic places indeed.
A Dive Into the Past
As often happened to numerous villages and hamlets in Tuscany, Arezzo too has Etruscan origins, allegedly to be traced back to the 6th century B.C.. In 311 B.C. it fell under the control of the Roman legions becoming Arretium, its Latin name which the current name Arezzo comes from. In a short time it became a strategic place for the Romans, aiming at expanding their control in Northern Italy too, and grew so powerful to become the third most prestigious town in all of the Italian peninsula under the Roman Empire held by Caesar Augustus, better known just as Octavian. The famous amphitheater of the town was built in these times of flourishing power and richness under the Roman government. The pottery production, already widespread in Arretium from the Etruscan times, was then developed and enhanced thanks to the Roman ceramists.
Arezzo has always maintained its importance, even during the darkest ages of the Roman civilization, that later fell definitely as a consequence of the barbarian invasions. In the Middle Ages it was still a relevant commercial and strategic centre both under the Langobards at first and the Franks after them.
After 1000, a time where in Italy municipalities were organised as city-states known as Comuni and Signorie (the medieval Communes and Seigneuries), Arezzo was a free Commune, governed by a consul-ruler and being Ghibelline, i.e. supportive of the Emperor in the famous clash between him and the Pope and his State of The Church (the Guelph side), so between the temporal power and the religious power. A lot of literary works were released about this clash, even by important writers such as Dante Alighieri. Arezzo was back to a thriving entrepreneurial period, finding new vitality.
In the 14th century Arezzo went through hard, troubled times instead, falling into disgrace and suffering twice from the dominion of Florence.
Throughout Arezzo’s history the influence by Florence was double: positive from an artistic point of view, thanks to the artworks by the painter Piero Della Francesca with his famous frescoes held in the San Francesco Church, and to the multifaceted artist Giorgio Vasari, sculptor, painter and architect, who designed the so-called Logge, a majestic building placed in Piazza Grande which presents shapes belonging to the Gothic style to be gradually replaced then, during its building, by artistic elements typical of the Renaissance taste.
On the other hand, Arezzo witnessed the destruction of the former city hall and the cathedral too, facing the need of rebuilding and enlarging the fortresses around the town and a general decline both at a commercial and a social level.
A dramatic population decrease took place and, among the member of the House of Medici, the family based in Florence who ruled Arezzo back then, Ferdinand I was the only one to leave good memories of his doing, having a massive reclamation work of the Val di Chiana swamp area done, and so boosting the agricultural and the economy of the town. After the Medicis left, the Lorena dynasty started important building works in town, such as new means of communication, the reclamation of other swamp areas around Arezzo and the renovation of ancient buildings.
After being controlled for a while by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1800, and then returning under the control of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany held by the Lorenas, Arezzo eventually regained power and strength, with its own independent identity as a town, only after the unification of Italy in 1861.
The Beautiful Places in Town
Taking a stroll along Arezzo’s alleys every visitor cannot help but be charmed in total astonishment by the beauty of Piazza Grande, also known as “Piazza Vasari”, right after the name of the architect already mentioned beforehand. Bordered by buildings designed in different times, this square has a trapezoidal layout and is characterized by a general slope of its floor. It is considered one of the most fascinating and particular squares in all of Tuscany, centre of the town’s day and night life since the Renaissance.
The Giostra del Saracino (the Saracin’s Tournament), the most famous local history-based event, takes place twice a year in the Piazza Grande, precisely in June and September. Two-knight teams belonging to each one of the four quarters of the town challenge themselves riding horses in order to win the symbolic control over the city, aiming at raising the coveted Lancia d’Oro (the Golden Spear) as an award for the final victory.
The Fiera Antiquaria, the Antiques Fair, also takes place in the square every year since 1968, being definitely one of the most famous antiques markets in Italy.
The Palazzo delle Logge, by Giorgio Vasari, stands majestically on the northern side of the square. Completed in 1573, it is formed by a suggestive porch of great elegance, with a lot of artisan shops and boutiques selling many different local products of every kind.
The Cathedral of Saint Peter and Saint Donato, better known simply as the Duomo, is placed in the oldest part of the town instead. Its building began in 1277 due to the will of Guglielmo degli Ubertini, bishop of the town, but was utterly completed a lot of years later, in 1511 only. It presents different architectural styles changing gradually from the first Romanesque taste to the Gothic style, according to the artistic inspirations of the different centuries needed to complete it. The high Neo-gothic steeple, the mosaic glass windows by Guillaume De Marcillat, really intense and brighter and brighter everytime sunlight hits them from the outside, and the frescoed vault ceilings of the internal naves are the most relevant artistic elements, such as other religious sculptures and paintings like the Battesimo di Cristo (The Baptism of Christ), a truly emotional painting masterpiece by Giorgio Vasari.
Giorgio Vasari did place his name in the history of the town to the extent that he eventually got to inspire the foundation of a museum dedicated to him and his works. The Museo Casa Vasari (the Vasari’s House Museum), is property of and is managed by the Italian government since the beginning of the 20th century. Vasari was born in a house not far from the current Piazza Grande, but lived for a great part of his life in the very house now turned into a museum. He purchased it in 1541 when it was still unfinished, in order to have it completed according to his architectural taste and principles. In spite of his numerous commitments in Florence, in this house he painted a lot of works still perfectly preserved and untouched today, which enhanced his Renaissance-based artistic taste.
From a great name when it comes to architecture and art to another great name in the field of literature. Among Arezzo’s finest historical personalities a special mention goes to Francesco Petrarca, commonly anglicized as Petrarch, a refined humanist, poet, writer and philosopher, born in 1304 in Arezzo and famous all over the world thanks to his works. Among them, the Canzoniere (literally “Collection of Poems”) is a collection of suggestive poems written in sonnets, ballads, lyrics, sestets and madrigals, describing his inner feelings and life.
As happened for Vasari, Petrarca’s house too was then dedicated to him and his artwork, becoming the Museo di Casa Petrarca (the Petrarca’s House Museum). Today the museum is also the seat of the Academy of Literature, Arts and Sciences of the town, named after him, and contains oil-on-canva paintings by a lot of Tuscan artists, a collection of rare ancient coins and a series of manuscripts and works regarding Petrarca and his literary and philosophical concepts.
Arezzo holds and shows excellently the typical essence of Tuscany, a powerful mix of culture, art and tradition, with authentic and genuine landscapes, in a unique location with no equals in the world.