CORTONA

Visiting Cortona - Information and travel guide

Cortona is a beautiful medieval village that has preserved the appearance and structure of the town a thousand years ago, along with some fine examples of Renaissance architecture. It rises in a wonderful panoramic position and is a small town of Etruscan origin (civilty of which there are still traces in the walls that surround it) climbing on the side of a hill. The sixteenth-century Fortezza Medicea del Girifalco, at the top of the village, dominates the surrounding landscape and once you arrive here, your gaze is lost on the green Val di Chiana and Lake Trasimeno.

CortonaThe old town centre is a fascinating maze of old stone paved streets and imposing medieval buildings. Its many monuments and precious works of art make it a small large city, visited by many scholars from all over the world. Many are the local legends, such as those of Trojans and Ulysses, who arrived here finding another Ithaca, that of their descendants who merged with the Etruscan inhabitants, who then founded Rome; that of Pythagoras who would be buried here. History, stories and legends. It could not be different with this setting, where today it is above all the Middle Ages that is represented. The little space between the cyclopean walls, has made the city develop in recent times in the underlying village of Camucia, where begins the road that goes up to the village.

Even without its artistic treasures, this would in any case be a place to stop, because of the breathtaking view from Cortona that you can enjoy, by day on the green valley and the lake and, at night, on the villages of southern Tuscany that shine like illuminated ships on a dark sea. During the serene days, the view reaches Lake Trasimeno and Monte Amiata, up to the Siena and Arezzo mountains, to see Sinalunga, Montepulciano and also the Rocca di Radicofani. To make a day trip or a longer stay more enjoyable, there are also pleasant hotels, shops and interesting craft shops and excellent restaurants.

Cortona is the city of Frate Elia, Santa Margherita, Luca Signorelli, Pietro da Cortona and Gino Severini and over the years has become the habitual residence of colonies of foreigners, Germans, British and Americans, who have found here peace or exile among olive groves and vineyards. Every year, especially in summer, many travelers come here to attend Italian art and culture courses or cooking classes and many students, from numerous universities and foreign cultural institutions, who contribute to create a beautiful cosmopolitan and very lively climate.

A bit of history and legends.... it is said that Cortona was founded by Dardano (to this hero is dedicated a name of a street) who later founded the city of Troy and gave its name to the Strait of the Dardanelles. Legends about Ulysses and Pythagoras have already been mentioned. Whatever the precise origins of the city, of which there are not many traces, it is certain that there was already a discreet Umbrian settlement here when the Etruscans took control of the area in the eighth century BC. About 400 years later, the town passed under Roman rule, and remained there until the Goths destroyed it. In the eleventh century Cortona became a prosperous free commune, always fighting with Perugia and Arezzo. The Aretini destroyed it in 1258. Not so long after the town flourished under the protection of Siena. It changed hands again at the beginning of the fifteenth century, when it first passed to the kingdom of Naples, and was then sold to Florence, followed by its fate from this moment onwards.

We start visiting the historic center and its attractions... as we said the appearance and structure of the city are the same as they were a thousand years ago and it is very pleasant to walk through the narrow streets and stop in the squares. The heart of the center is the picturesque Piazza della Repubblica, flanked by the thirteenth-century Palazzo Comunale, which houses the beautiful Council Room. Here there is also the Palazzo Pretorio, built in 1200 as residence of the Casali family, whose façade was built in 1613 by Filippo Berretini (cousin of Pietro da Cortona). The Praetorian Palace houses the Municipal Library and the Etruscan Academy Museum. In the first one are preserved unique pieces, such as a Divine Comedy of the fourteenth century, two globes (elestics and terrestrial) of' 500,118 incunabula and other ancient texts. In the Museum of the Etruscan Academy are housed exhibits of exceptional historical value, such as: the famous Bronze Bronze Chandelier of the IV BC.C weighing 58 kg; the "Musa Polomnia", original painting of the 1st century of Greek-Roman matrix; a large crucifix of the 13th century Pisan school; a funerary "Barchetta" of the 12th Egyptian dynasty; paintings, mummies with sarcophagi of the 4th century BC, monetiers, medals, etc.

CortonaA pochi passi dal Museo dell'Accademia Etrusca si trova il Duomo, eretto sui resti dell'antica Pieve Romanica di Santa Maria, su disegno di Giuliano da San Gallo o da uno dei suoi seguaci. Sull'altare maggiore nell'interno, a tre navate, troviamo un tabernacolo di Francesco Mazzuoli del 1664. L'abside è ornata da dipinti del Cigoli e della scuola del Signorelli. Di fronte al Duomo si trova l'ex Chiesa del Gesù, dove ha sede il Museo Diocesano, con una pregiata raccolta di dipinti d'arte toscana. Di grande interesse sono l'Annunciazione del Beato Angelico, un crocifisso di Pietro Lorenzetti e altre opere di numerosi pittori fra i quali Sassetta, Signorelli, ecc.

Nella Chiesa di San Francesco, in stile gotico del XIII secolo, si possono ammirare il dipinto del Cigoli raffigurante San Antonio da Padova e il Miracolo della Mula, La Natività di Raffaele Vanni, l'Annunciazione di Pietro da Cortona e una Madonna del Calcinaio.

CortonaA few steps away from the Etruscan Academy Museum is the Dome, built on the remains of the ancient Romanesque Parish Church of Santa Maria, designed by Giuliano da San Gallo or one of his followers. On the main altar inside, with three naves, there is a tabernacle of Francesco Mazzuoli from 1664. The apse is decorated with paintings by Cigoli and Signorelli's school. Opposite the Cathedral is the former Church of Jesus, where the Diocesan Museum is located, with a valuable collection of paintings of Tuscan art. Of great interest are the Annunciation of Beato Angelico, a Crucifix by Pietro Lorenzetti and other works by many painters including Sassetta, Signorelli, etc..

In the Church of San Francesco, in the 13th century Gothic style, you can admire the painting of Cigoli depicting San Antonio of Padua and the Miracle of the Mula, The Nativity of Raffaele Vanni, the Annunciation of Pietro da Cortona and a Madonna of Calcinaio.

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