Piazza Grande is the main historic square of Arezzo and the architectural center of the city’s medieval district. It lies on the upper section of the old town, behind the Romanesque apse of Santa Maria della Pieve, and is distinguished by a trapezoidal plan laid across a visibly sloping surface. The pronounced gradient is one of the square’s defining physical characteristics. Its pavement descends from the Vasari Loggias toward the lower medieval buildings, while the arrangement also helped rainwater drain away. This unusual topography gives Piazza Grande a spatial form that differs from the level, geometrically regular civic squares found in many Italian cities. The buildings surrounding Piazza Grande date from different historical periods. Medieval tower-houses stand beside Gothic and Renaissance architecture, while the long Palazzo delle Logge creates a unified upper frontage. The result is not a single-period ensemble but a documented record of Arezzo’s political, commercial, religious, and architectural development. Piazza Grande is also the principal setting of the Giostra del Saracino, or Joust of the Saracen. The competition is held twice each year: a night edition in June and a daytime edition in September. During the event, four historic quarters compete through mounted jousters carrying lances toward Read more [...]
Tag: Giorgio Vasari in Arezzo
Cathedral of Saints Peter and Donatus (Arezzo Cathedral)
Buy tickets & tours:VivaTicket The Cathedral of Saints Peter and Donatus is the Cathedral of Arezzo, located in Piazza del Duomo, on top of San Pietro Hill. Its elevated position places the church within the historic centre, beside the Bishop’s Palace and close to the Palazzo dei Priori, overlooking much of the surrounding urban landscape. The Arezzo Cathedral is the principal Catholic place of worship in the city and the episcopal seat of the Diocese of Arezzo-Cortona-Sansepolcro. It is also the largest religious building in the Province of Arezzo, reflecting the political and ecclesiastical importance of the city during the Middle Ages. The present building was constructed over several centuries, beginning in the late 13th century and continuing through the Renaissance. Later interventions altered its chapels, decoration, staircase, façade, bell tower, and presbytery. The resulting monument combines a predominantly Gothic structure with Renaissance, Baroque, Neoclassical, and modern additions. The Arezzo Cathedral is dedicated to Saint Peter the Apostle and Saint Donatus, the patron saint of Arezzo. Saint Donatus was an early Christian bishop traditionally associated with the city, and most of his relics are preserved inside the monumental marble shrine behind the cathedral’s high altar. Among the most important works Read more [...]
Palazzo della Fraternita dei Laici
Palazzo della Fraternita dei Laici is a historic palace overlooking Piazza Grande, the monumental heart of Arezzo. Construction began during the fourteenth century, but the building developed through several distinct phases, combining medieval stonework, Renaissance sculpture and sixteenth-century architectural additions within a single façade. Palazzo della Fraternita dei Laici occupies a prestigious position between the apse of the Church of Santa Maria della Pieve and the Logge Vasari. Its location reflects the importance acquired by the Fraternita dei Laici, an institution established in Arezzo in 1262 and closely connected with the city’s social, charitable and cultural development. Originally known as the Fraternita di Santa Maria della Misericordia, the organization assisted poor residents, transported and buried the dead and administered donations received from local benefactors. It gradually accumulated enough property and financial resources to support hospitals, schools, public infrastructure, artistic commissions and cultural institutions. Palazzo della Fraternita dei Laici is especially recognizable for its façade, where the Gothic lower level is joined to a Renaissance upper section and a bell gable designed by Giorgio Vasari. The latter contains an astronomical clock constructed in 1552 and still operated through its historic mechanical system. The building now accommodates the Fraternita dei Laici Museum, Read more [...]
Palazzo delle Logge
Palazzo delle Logge, also known as Logge Vasari, is a large Renaissance-style palace in Arezzo, located in the beautiful Piazza Grande. SHORT HISTORY In 1384, Arezzo was annexed to the Tuscan state dominated by Florence, and during the following centuries the Florentine influence became visible in the architecture of the city. In 1560, Piazza Grande changed radically, at the behest of Cosimo I de’ Medici. As a demonstration of the strength of the Florentine lordship, he demolished Palazzo del Popolo, Palazzo del Comune and other buildings located in the northern part of the square. The new layout of the square was designed by Giorgio Vasari, who started Palazzo delle Logge in 1573, one year before his death. The palace was completed in 1595 by the architect Alfonso Parigi. ARCHITECTURE Palazzo delle Logge has a bright, yellow facade, on which the profiles of the architectural elements – pillars, arches, cornices, and windows with low arched tympanum, stand out. The palace has a long portico under which the entrances of the ancient shops, with the characteristic parapets, open. In the center of the loggia, a short staircase connects Piazza Grande with Piazza del Praticino, located higher on the San Pietro Read more [...]
Palazzo del Comune
Palazzo del Comune is a palace in Arezzo, located in Piazza della Libertà, on top of the San Pietro Hill, near the Cathedral of Santi Pietro e Donato. Today, the palace houses the city’s Town Hall. SHORT HISTORY Palazzo Comunale, known at first as Palazzo dei Priori, was home to the supreme magistrature of Arezzo. The original facade of the building, dating back to the 14th century, can be admired from Via Ricasoli. In 1454, there was a first major renovation. In 1466, the large clock was mounted on the tower. In the second half of the 16th century, a new makeover of the palace began after a design by the famous Florentine architect Alfonso Parigi, which was completed in 1602. During the works, the layout of the stairs was changed, and the large internal portico was built. In 1650, the facade collapsed and some frescoes painted by Lorentino d’Andrea were lost. The reconstruction was carried out by slightly withdrawing the front of the building. In 1715, a bell dedicated to the Madonna and Saint Donatus was placed in the tower. The last major renovation was carried out in 1930s, under the supervision of Giuseppe Castellucci and Umberto Tavanti. Read more [...]
