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Home > Travel Italy > Italy Destinations > Arezzo
Arezzo
Italy, officially the Italian Republic or Repubblica Italiana, is a Southern European country comprising of the Po River valley, the Italian Peninsula and the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia. It is shaped like a boot and for this reason Italians commonly call it lo Stivale, the boot or, due to its prevalent peninsular geographical nature, la Penisola, the Peninsula. Inhabitants of Italy are referred to as Italians.
Arezzo is an old city in central Italy, located in Tuscany. Arezzo is about 80 kilometers southeast of Florence, at an elevation of 296 meters above sea level. In 2001 the population was about 91,600 people. Arezzo is set on a steep hill rising from the floodplain of the Arno. The upper part of the town maintains its medieval aspect despite the addition of later structures.
Arezzo is one of the twelve most important Etruscan cities. In the 4th
century, Arezzo became an Episcopal seat. It is one of the few cities whose succession of bishops are known by name without interruption to the present day, in part because they were the feudal lords of the city in the Middle Ages. The Roman city was demolished, partly through the Gothic War and the invasion of the Lombard’s, partly dismantled, as elsewhere throughout Europe, and the stones reused for fortifications by the Aretines.
The Piazza Grande is the most noteworthy medieval square in the city, opening behind the thirteenth-century Romanesque apse of S. Maria Della Pieve. Aside from the apse of the church, other landmarks of the square include, The Palace of the Lay Fraternity, the Vasari Loggia along the north side, Episcopal Palace, seat of the bishops, rebuilt in the mid-13th century. Arezzo is home to an annual medieval festival called the Joust of the Saracens. Arezzo is also home to an annual popular music and culture festival, each July, called Arezzo Wave. It also features literary and film expositions.
Arezzo, justifiably so, enjoys a very positive reputation with worldwide travelers, and is one of the most visited place. It is also said the place of best geographical environment and can trace its origins back to prehistoric times.
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