Arezzo administrative centre of the province, is situated at the northern end of the Valdichiana and can be easily reached as it is linked to the Autostrada del Sole and is crossed by the main Milan-Florence-Rome railway line. Arezzo was founded by the Etruscan and called Aretium; the most representative work of the etruscan period is the Chimera, a bronze statuette of the Vth century B.C. which has become the symbol of the town. Later Arezzo passed into the hands of the Romans (IV-III century) and had a great development. We can begin the tour of the town just from the Roman remains, of which the Archeological museum is rich. This museum was estabilished in 1934 at its present location, no.10 Via Margaritone and it overlooks the vast open space of the Roman Amphitheatre. It occupies two storeys and in its several rooms we can admire Etruscan, Italic, Roman and Greek coins, Etruscan and Roman bronzes, statues, structural remains of the upper section of the Amphitheatre, Greek and Roman vases and example of the Aretine ceramics: the typical coral vases,decorated by relief and painted with the characteristic rose coral colour thanks to which Arezzo was famous during the Roman period. After the Archeological museum and the Roman Amphitheatre, going towards Guido Monaco square and walking along the street bearing the same name, we find ourselves in front of the Church of S. Francesco in the homonimous square. This church, started in the second half of the 13th century from the Franciscan monks and completed at the end of the 14th century, in the course of the 15th and 16th century was adorned with shrines, chapels and frescoes; however, the attention of the visitor is attracted,above all, by the fascinating scene of the 10 panels of the Legend of the True Cross, painted by Piero della Francesca. |
