Arezzo

**Arezzo** is an old city in central Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Arezzo, in the region of Tuscany. Arezzo is about 80 km (50 mi) south-east of Florence. It is at an elevation of 296 m above sea level. In 2001 the population was about 91,600 people.

## Geography

Arezzo is placed on the floodplain of the Arno. In the upper part of the town are the cathedral and the squares.

## History

Arezzo may have been one of the twelve most important Etruscan cities, that was also called Dodecapolis.
Conquered by the Romans in 311 BC, Arretium became a military station on the via Cassia, the road to expansion by republican Rome into the basin of the Po. In the 3rd to 4th century, Arezzo became an episcopal place: it is one of the few cities whose succession of bishops are known by name without interruption to the present day, in part because they were the feudal lords of the city in the Middle Ages.

Until 1384, Arezzo was an independent city-state, generally Ghibelline in tendency, thus opposing Guelph Florence. In 1252 the city founded its university, the _Studium_. Arezzo in 1384 was under  Florentine domination. During this period Piero della Francesca worked in the church of San Francesco di Arezzo producing the splendid frescoes.

In the 18th century the neighbouring marshes of the Val di Chiana, south of Arezzo, were drained and the region became less malarial. At the end of the century French troops led by Napoleon Bonaparte conquered Arezzo, but the city soon turned into the hands of the resistance against the invaders with the movement of "Viva Maria": this gained the city the role of provincial capital. In 1860 Arezzo became part of the Kingdom of Italy.

### Squares

The Piazza Grande is the most noteworthy medieval square in the city, it is currently the site of the _Giostra del Saracino_ ("Joust of the Saracin").
- The Palace of the Lay Fraternity (_Fraternita dei Laici_): 14th-15th century palazzo, with a Gothic style.
- The_ Vasari Loggia_.
- Episcopal Palace,
- _Palazzo Cofani-Brizzolari_, with the _Torre Faggiolana_.

### Churches

- the Gothic Cathedral of Saint Donatus (13th-early 16th centuries).
- Basilica of _San Francesco_ (13th-14th centuries), in Tuscan-Gothic style.
- Romanesque church of _Santa Maria della Pieve_.
- Basilica of_ San Domenico_ (founded in 1275 and completed in the early 14th century).
- Church of _San Michele_,
- _Santa Maria in Gradi_ is a medieval church from the 11th or the 12th century, but was rebuilt in the late 16th century by Bartolomeo Ammannati.
- Church of _St. Augustine_, founded in 1257,
- _Badia di SS. Flora e Lucilla_ (12th century). Built by Benedictine monks in the 12th century, it was totally restored in the 16th century under the direction of Giorgio Vasari.
- _San Lorenzo_,
- Santa Maria delle Grazie, a late Gothic sanctuary with a Renaissance portal by Benedetto da Maiano (1490).
- _Santa Maria a Gradi_ (1591), a monastery existing already in 1043.
- Church of _Santissima Trinità_. Built in 1348,
- _Santa Maria Maddalena_, built in 1561.
- _Pieve di San Paolo_, in San Paolo, erected as Palaeo-Christian baptismal church,
- _Pieve di Sant'Eugenia al Bagnoro_,
- _Pieve di San Donnino a Maiano_, at Palazzo del Pero (6th-9th centuries).

### Others places

- Roman amphitheatre and museum.
- _Palazzo dei Priori_, erected in 1333, has been the seat of the city's magistratures until today. The edifice was numerous times restored and renovated; the interior has a court from the 16th century, a stone statue portraying a _Madonna with Child_ (1339), frescoes, busts of illustrious Aretines, two paintings by Giorgio Vasari. The square tower is from 1337.
- Medici Fortress (_Fortezza Medicea_), designed by Antonio da Sangallo the Younger and completed in 1538-1560. It was partly dismantled by the French in the early 19th century.
- _Palazzo Camaiani-Albergotti_ (14th century, renovated in the 16th century), with the _Torre della Bigazza_.
- _Palazzo Bruni-Ciocchi_, Renaissance edifice attributed to Bernardo Rossellino.
- _Palazzo Pretorio_.
- House of Petrarch (_Casa del Petrarca_).
- _Casa Vasari_ (in _Via XX Settembre_) an older house rebuilt in 1547 by Giorgio Vasari
- Ivan Bruschi House and Museum (_Casa-Museo "Ivan Bruschi"_).
- Gaio Cilnio Mecenate Archeological Museum.
- Civic Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art.

## Festivals

- Arezzo is home to an annual international competition of _International Guido d'Arezzo Polyphonic Contest_
- Arezzo is home to an annual medieval festival called the Saracen Joust (_Giostra del Saracino_). In this, "knights" on horseback must attack,the "Saracen king" and score points according to accuracy.
- Arezzo is also home to an annual popular music and culture festival, in July, called Arezzo Wave.

## Notable people from Arezzo

- Guido d'Arezzo, the most notable music theorist of the Middle Ages and inventor of modern music notation, was born there around the year 991.
- Piero della Francesca, the painter, was born in the province of Arezzo and spent most of his life in the city.
- Petrarch, the poet.
- Giorgio Vasari, the painter, architect, and biographer.
- Francesco Redi, a 17th century physician.
- In addition, Poggio Bracciolini and Michelangelo were born near the town.
- Dylan and Cole Sprouse were born in Arezzo. They are actors on the Disney Channel Original series _The Suite Life of Zack and Cody_ playing the lead roles of Zack and Cody Martin.
- Roberto Benigni, a great producer and actor born in Arezzo.

## Sport clubs

- Associazione Calcio Arezzo (A.C. Arezzo)
- Vasari Rugby Arezzo
- Club sommozzatori Calypso - Federazione Italiana Attività Subacquee - Sez. Terr. Arezzo (diving)

## Twin cities

- Bedford, United Kingdom
- Montenars, Italy, since 1977
- Saint-Priest, France, since 1981
- Eger, Hungary, since 1989

## Other websites

- Official Website
- Informations about Arezzo and province

## Infobox (italian comune)

- **name**: Arezzo
- **official name**: Comune di Arezzo
- **image skyline**: Piazza Grande, Arezzo.JPG
- **image caption**: Piazza Grande; from left: Santa Maria della Pieve, the old Tribunal Palace and the Lay Fraternity
- **image shield**: Arezzo-Stemma.svg
- **pushpin map**: Italy Tuscany#Italy
- **province**: (AR)
- **frazioni**: see #Frazioni, list
- **mayor party**: Forza Italia, FI
- **mayor**: Alessandro Ghinelli
- **area total km2**: 386.25
- **population total**: 99232
- **population as of**: 31 December 2013
- **population demonym**: Aretini
- **elevation m**: 296
- **saint**: Saint Donatus of Arezzo
- **day**: 7 August
- **postal code**: 52100
- **area code**: 0575