Yesterday was our last full day in Arezzo. We’ve enjoyed being here and have had some of the best meals of the trip so far. That’s partly the result of seeking out trattorias rather than cafes or pizzerias. In Cortona, we had lunch in town, but took advantage of the tasty appetizers followed by cookies and vin santo offered at our hotel each evening. They were a satisfactory substitute for dinner (one night augmented by a plate of meats and cheese) and spared us the steep walk up the hill and back in the dark.
FRESCOES IN ARREZO
In the morning, our enthusiastic guide Debora, native of Arezzo and a big booster of her city, took us to see Piero della Francesca’s marvelous frescoes in the Basilica of Saint Francis. Created in the mid 15th century, the frescoes are in a small chapel named for the Bacci family tucked behind the sanctuary’s massive 13th century crucifix. They tell the Legend of the True Cross and are “read” beginning at the apex of the ceiling.
The side walls relate to each other with some symmetry; there is a battle scene depicted on each side at the lowest level.
The annuciation on the left rear wall is matched by Constantine’s dream scene on the right rear wall.
There are missing patches on the images, but overall they are quite complete. It’s noteworthy that frescoes in churches were often whitewashed over; only much later, did restoration work reveal the art underneath.
For serious lovers of Renaissance art, these frescoes are worth a trip to Arezzo. Add in the duomo and the other historic architecture, and you can easily spend a day or two.
VAL D’ORCIA
Val D’Orcia, an extensive valley in southern Tuscany, is a protected park and since 2004, a World Heritage Site. There are olive trees and deciduous trees in this valley, but its hallmark are the tall pointed cypress trees. These cypresses appear on postcards and are a feature on several of the winding roads outside Pienza and elsewhere.
On our way to the Renaissance town of Pienza, birthplace of Pope Pius II, we made several stops along the road to take photos. The day was a mix of clouds and sun, making for pretty late morning light.
PIENZA
Pope Pius II returned to Pienza and remade the city into the architectural gem it still is today. With its beautiful Renaissance center, it became a UNESCO heritage site in 1996. It is a small town with one main thoroughfare between two city gates with narrow passageways branching off in both directions.
There are good views of the valley below from the city wall.
After our ride and our rambling through town, we enjoyed a delicious lunch at a Pienza trattoria. Besides olive oil, cheese is a local product, especially pecorino. There are several varieties and we sampled three, plus I had a lovely dish of gnocchi.
Note: All photos ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved.) Header photo taken in Pienza.
Jean, such lovely photos of some of my favorite frescos in Italy. If you have seen the film, The English Patient, there is a scene where Kip, the mine searcher, hosts Hannah, the nurse with a rope to see frescos by torch light. That small scene was filmed inside the Basilica of San Francesco and the frescoes are those of Piero Della Francesca.
Thanks, Pam. We plan to re-watch this film when we get home and also Life is Beautiful which has scenes in Arezzo.