The city of Arezzo – history, art, and luxury properties
Artists, writers, massive fortresses, and local cuisine
The city of Arezzo is in the easternmost part of Tuscany. Its art, architecture, history, and food are on a par with those of Florence and Siena, being however less crowded with tourists than these two cities, and therefore being easily visitable. Broker Immobiliare Exclusive Real Estate lists luxury estates, villas, and farmhouses for sale in Arezzo, a renowned artistic and cultural destination.
Piazza Grande, with its peculiar trapeze shape, is one of the most important parts of the city. A historic city square with cafes and shops, it was built around 1200 and is peculiarly sloped in order to let rainwater flow away. The Palazzo delle Logge, on the highest side, was built by Giorgio Vasari. The Pieve di Santa Maria Assunta spans the entire north-west side and was built between the 12th and 14th centuries. The Palazzo della Fraternità dei Laici is known for its astronomical clock at the top of the bell tower. The Fonte pubblica (public fountain) is also in the Piazza Grande and was built with marble in neoclassical style. This square is the venue for the Giostra del Saracino, a medieval jousting reenactment of the same event, which is said to have been celebrated as early as the 13th century.
The poet Francesco Petrarca’s birthplace is in Via dell’Orto. This building from the 1300s houses a house museum and the Accademia di Petrarca di Lettere, Arti e Scienze. Ser Petracco, Francesco Petrarca’s father was exiled from Florence with his friend Dante Alighieri. The latter was present in the house when Petrarca was born. As though being the birthplace of one of the most important writers in the history of the Italian language and literature, Arezzo is also Giorgio Vasari’s birthplace. The house in Via XX Settembre which the artist and art historian bought in 1541 is nowadays a home museum. Despite not having spent much time in this house, working often in Florence and Rome, he personally supervised interior and exterior renovations.
Vasari’s work can be admired in the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Donato, such as the wooden choir stalls, the organ’s platform, and the painting of the Baptism of Christ. This cathedral is the Duomo of Arezzo, as well as one of the most beautiful gothic buildings in Tuscany. Vasari also worked on the Logge in Piazza Grande, commissioned by the Rettori di Fraternita and the General City Council in 1570.
To jump into an unaltered medieval landscape, the Fortezza Medicea is must-see. It is a pentagonal shaped defensive building with a bastion per corner, on the summit of the hill Colle di San Donato, on the eastern side of Arezzo. During 2016 renovations, excavations have revealed Etruscan and Roman traces, such as mosaics and the ruins of the church of Saint Doanto in Cremona. Today it is a venue for art exhibitions. The Parco Pubblico del Prato is opposite the Fortezza and has a massive marble monument to Francesco Petrarca, the biggest in his honor.
Any trip to Arezzo is not complete without having enjoyed local cuisine. Pasta dishes are a must, such as maccheroni con l’ocio – large maccheroni with duck meat sauce – tortelli with Casentino poptatoes, and tagliatelle or pappardelle with rabbit meat sauce. Among meat dishes, the most renowned are steak with acciugata sauce – a Valdichiana stake with salted and gutted anchovies – and scottiglia, a medieval dish with many kinds of meat seasoned with pepper, red wine or lemon after being browned or sautéed. This dish is also called land Cacciucco or Cacciucco Casentino.
Purchasing a prestigious property in Arezzo through professional assistance from Broker Immobilaire Exclusive Real Estate means having the chance to live in the heart of Tuscany, in a city renowned for its art and culture.
