Many would insist that it is impossible to find a large interesting town in Tuscany with rich medieval and Renaissance remains not overrun by tourists. But you can, and it is called Arezzo.
The town is one of the wealthiest in Tuscany and is well known in the rest of Italy for its production of gold jewellery and its many antique shops. In recent years the town has been able to add another string to its bow, because a large part of Roberto Benignis famous film “Life is beautiful” was filmed in the town’s streets.
The history of Arezzo goes back to the Etruscans and it was one of the strongest towns of this strange people. Later it became an important town in the Roman Empire and remains from both these periods can be admired at the archaeological museum in the town, which is situated near the Roman amphitheatre.
An even more spectacular reminder of its past is the bronze statue of a legendary animal ”the Chimera” from the Etruscan period, copies of which can be seen in many places around the town.
Several interesting churches date back to the Middle Ages, for instance Pieve di Santa Maria with its remarkable facade and the cathedral. But the biggest attraction for art lovers can be found in the church Chiesa di San Francesco, which displays one of the biggest and most sensational works of the Renaissance painter Piero della Francesca. The big fresco cycle “The legend of the true cross” was painted during the years 1452-1466. The story of the forbidden fruit of the tree, which later provided the wood for Jesus´ cross, and other episodes from the story of Christ’s death covers the whole of the area behind the main altar, but many other places in the church also display wonderful paintings from different eras.
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Arezzo has many fine streets with a wide selection of shops, restaurants and cafes. But the most impressive is the sloping Piazza Grande with its numerous antique shops. Here you can find fascinating examples of shops still using the old premises with huge stone counters, exactly as they were used in medieval times.
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