Discover 11 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Arezzo (Italy). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: Arezzo Cathedral, Santa Maria della Pieve, and San Francesco. Also, be sure to include San Domenico Church in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Arezzo (Tuscany).
Table of Contents
Arezzo Cathedral
Also known as: Cattedrale dei Santi Pietro e Donato
Landmark fresco in a hilltop cathedral. Arezzo Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral in the city of Arezzo in Tuscany, Italy. It is located on the site of a pre-existing Palaeo-Christian church and, perhaps, of the ancient city's acropolis.[1]
Address: Via Isonzo, 51, 52100 Arezzo
Santa Maria della Pieve
Striking 10th-century stone church. Santa Maria della Pieve is a church in Arezzo, Tuscany, central Italy.[2]
Address: Corso Italia, 7, 52100 Arezzo
San Francesco
Simple 13th-century church with frescoes. The Basilica of San Francesco is a late Medieval church in Arezzo, Tuscany, Italy, dedicated to St Francis of Assisi. It is especially renowned for housing in the chancel the fresco cycle Legends of the True Cross by Piero della Francesca.[3]
Address: Piazza S. Francesco, 52100 Arezzo
San Domenico Church
Also known as: Chiesa di San Domenico
Basilica in Arezzo, Italy. The Basilica of San Domenico is a Gothic-style church in Arezzo, Tuscany, Italy, dedicated to St Dominic. It is especially renowned for housing a painted crucifix by Cimabue.[4]
Address: Piazza S. Francesco, 52100 Arezzo
Monument to Grand Duke Ferdinand III of Lorraine
The Monument to Grand Duke Ferdinand III of Tuscany is a Neoclassical-style marble statue and plinth initially erected in 1822 in the Piazza Grande, but now moved to the Piazza di Murello, in the town of Arezzo, region of Tuscany, Italy.[5]
Santa Maria delle Grazie
Catholic church in Arezzo, Italy. Santa Maria delle Grazie is a church in Arezzo, Tuscany, central Italy.
It is located on the site of an ancient sanctuary with a spring that, in the Etruscan-Roman era, it was consecrated to Apollo. In the Middle Ages it was known as Fonte Tecta.
In 1425, Saint Bernardino of Siena tried in vain to have it destroyed. Ousted from the city, he returned in 1428 and, this time, he was able to obtain the replacement of the spring with an oratory. Here, from 1428 and 1431, Parri di Spinello, son of Spinello Aretino, painted a fresco with the Madonna of Misericordia, now inserted in the marble altar by Andrea Della Robbia (1487–1493). The altar portrays, in the tympanum, a Madonna with Child between two Angels; in the niches are the saints Laurentinus, Pergentinus, Donatus and Bernardino, while the paliotto has a Pietà.
Around 1490, the oratory received a portico, designed by Benedetto da Maiano. The structure was inspired by Filippo Brunelleschi's Ospedale degli Innocenti. On the longest side it has seven arcades with medallions, on a basement with steps.
The church itself was built from 1435 to 1444, a late Gothic edifice designed by Domenico del Fattore, with a single nave with cross-vaults and a short apse. It houses a fresco (c. 1477–1481) with Pope Sixtus IV Enthroned between cardinals Gonzaga and Piccolomini. At the right side, a chapel dedicated to Saint Bernardino was built after his death in 1444.[6]
Address: Via Santa Maria delle Grazie, 1, 52100 Arezzo
Fraternità of Laici Palace
The palace of the Fraternita dei Laici is one of the most important monuments in the city of Arezzo and is located in Piazza Grande, next to the large loggia at the top of the square that bears the name of its designer, Giorgio Vasari, a distinguished citizen of Arezzo. Its construction was begun in 1375 and completed by Giorgio Vasari in the mid-16th century. In the late 18th century, the palace was renovated with the support of Grand Duke Peter Leopold of Lorraine. It became the seat of the city court for many years, and since 2010 it has housed the Fraternity Museum and headquarters, with its important historical archives.
Ponte Buriano
Bridge in Italy. The Ponte Buriano is a stone seven-arch bridge located north of the town of Arezzo in the region of Tuscany region of Italy. Built in 1277. Some references tells that the bridge was used by Leonardo da Vinci in the lower-right quadrant of his painting Mona Lisa.[7]
Badia delle Sante Flora e Lucilla
Parish in Arezzo, Italy. The Badia delle Sante Flora e Lucilla or Abbey of Saints Flora e Lucilla is a Medieval abbey in Arezzo, Tuscany, Italy.[8]
Address: Piazza della Badia, 3, 52100 Arezzo
Fortezza Medicea
Museo Archeologico Mecenate
Museum, Specialty museum
Address: Via Margaritone 10, 52100 Arezzo