The Arno Valley upstream from Florence is highly industrialized, with warehouses and factories surrounding many small towns along the railway line. In the villages on the slopes of the valley, a medieval market square or a cluster of attractive buildings have often been preserved., but it is definitely worth stopping only in the capital of the upper province of Arno, Arezzo—the train journey from Florence takes an hour. Foreign visitors come to Arezzo by the thousands because of the paintings of Pier della Francesca (pleasure temporarily unattainable — see below), while Italians come here for antiques, which are traded in Piazza Granda in quantities, that no one in the rest of the country dreamed of.
In Casentino, section of the Arno valley between Arezzo and the source of the river in the north, the nature of the region is completely different: small towns on the hills, such as Poppi and Bibbiena, grow above the vineyard area, olive groves and pastures, and the economic activity is rather small-scale. Those tracking down the masterpieces of Tuscan art in the Arezzo area must definitely visit Sansepolcro, almost on the border with Umbria towards the east — the birthplace of Piro della Francesca, where are the two wonderful works of this artist. To the south of Arezzo stretches the plain of Valdichiana, whose picturesque, although common towns diversify the landscape composed of farms. The main attraction of this part of the region is the old town on a hill, Cortona, with a characteristic landscape of steep streets.
Arezzo
AREZZO is located at important crossings through the central Apennines and was one of the most important cities of the Etruscan Federation. Retained its | dominant role also during the reign of the Romans, and in the Middle Ages it was a rich independent republic until 1289 r., when the pro-Ferribel sympathies led them to a military defeat in the fight against the Florentine Guelphs. For a while, the city regained its sovereignty, but in 1384 r. was definitively subordinated by Florence.
During the Renaissance, native Aretinians, Petrarch, Floor of Aretino and Vasari, brought lasting prestige to the city, but the real renaissance monument in Arezzo is the work of a newcomer, Piera della Francesca, whose cycle of frescoes in the church of San Francesco belongs to the same category, what frescoes Masaccio in Florence and Michelangelo in Rome.
Today, Arezzo's economy is based on countless workshops of jewelers and goldsmiths. (in the city is the world's largest gold products factory) and the antique trade. In the area of Piazza Granda there are showrooms filled with a kind of furniture, which is placed in a bank safe rather than in a playroom. At noon on the Saturday before the first Sunday of each month, the less exclusive Fiera Antiquaria is laid out on the square (antique market), attracting art dealers from Rome and beyond. It's a pleasure to look around – the further away from Piazza Roma, the bigger the junk — but don't expect any bargain prices.
City
Arezzo is divided into two clearly separated parts: an older district at the top of a hill and a pragmatic lower town, which exits from the train station. The bus station is diagonal from the train station. The road for cars, connecting the lower and upper city, is via Guido Monaco, along which you walk only for shopping; parallel Corso Italia, currently closed to vehicular traffic, it's expensive, which you should go to the hill, and in the evening go for a walk.
All major places are concentrated in the upper part of the city, with the exception of the Museo Archeologico (wt.-sb. 9.00-14.00, nd. 9.00-13.00; Free entrance), occupying the part of the monastery built into the wall of the Roman amphitheater, to the right of the station. The chaotic remains of the amphitheater are part of the museum, but more impressive are the coral vases with beautiful colors: were produced here in the first century. BC. and provide a compelling explanation, why the Aretians enjoyed a reputation all over the world as consummate craftsmen.
San Francesco
To the left of Corso, not far from its peak, standing building, for which every tourist comes to Arezzo — the church of San Francesco. Built after 1322 r. the simple and sympathetic basilica gained fame at the beginning of the sixth decade of the fifteenth century., when the Bacci family commissioned Pier della Francesca to paint the walls of the choir. The chosen topic is the History of the Holy Cross, where the Cross is the link that binds the cycle of redemption together, beginning with the original sin of mankind. Tree, from which the forbidden fruit was plucked is shown as the same tree, from which the Cross of Christ was created, the story goes on to tell of Constantine's conversion after seeing the Cross and the final return of the Cross to Jerusalem.. Piero painted the series in the narrative aftermath, starting from the right wall, which he created before his trip to Rome in 1459. He made the frescoes on the left wall after returning with the help of assistants, as you can see from the slightly lower quality of the paintings.
Unfortunately, this incredible series of paintings can now only be seen on postcards. The entire presbytery is closed for renovation, but it is to be reopened in 1992 r., in the five hundredth anniversary of the artist's death.