Piazza Grande is the main square of Arezzo, located in the center of the medieval city. With an inclined trapezoidal shape, the square is one of the most beautiful in Tuscany and in the whole of Italy. In Piazza Grande, twice a year, in June and September, takes place the Joust of the Saracen (Giostra del Saracino), a traditional festival with a medieval fragrance. SHORT HISTORY In the early Middle Ages, the area of the current square was used for the livestock market, and was called Platea Porcorum. In the 13th century, the space definitively became a square, and during the 14th century, with the construction of the buildings around it, Piazza Grande took on its current appearance on three of its sides. In 1560, Cosimo I de’ Medici, as a demonstration of the strength of the new Florentine lordship, demolished Palazzo del Popolo, Palazzo del Comune and other buildings to the north of the square. At the behest of the same Cosimo I de’ Medici, the new layout of Piazza Grande was designed by Giorgio Vasari. He closed the square to the north with Palazzo delle Logge, built between 1573 and 1595. As a new political and economical Read more [...]
All Squares in Arezzo
In Italy, a city square, commonly found at the meeting of two or more streets, is a piazza. Every Italian city has a piazza or more, with streets radiating from the center, with green areas and places to rest. As key points in a city, in the squares you can find shops and public transport stations, but the Italians use it especially for evening walks and meetings with friends. Also, the city's main events take place in the central square.
The worlds best known square may be the Piazza San Marco, in Venice, but we must not forget other beautiful squares like Piazza della Signoria in Florence, Piazza del Campo in Siena, Campo dei Miracoli in Pisa, Prato della Valle in Padua, Piazza Maggiore in Bologna, Piazza San Pietro in Vatican, Piazza Navona and Piazza di Spagna in Rome, or Piazza del Plebiscito in Naples. Moreover, every town in Italy, no matter how small, has a beautiful main square that we invite you to discover.