AREZZO

Cue (NZERS), Issue 11, 15 November 1944, Page 11

AREZZO

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- Some Italian cities retain an atmosphere and present-day character wnicu is entirely in keeping with their past history. It will usually be found that these cities either had the good fortune to slip gradually into sleepy decay like San Gimignano Or Assisi or have preserved many buildings from one particular period as at Lecce, Florence or Siena. Arezzo does not fall into either of these

categories and its qualities have been preserved as much or more in the quality of its inhabitants rather than in a uniform character of the town itself. Arezzo has nevertheless preserved several very interesting buildings from widely different periods. Its soil has also yielded two of the master-pieces of antique bronze sculpture, and its ceramic industry has never been wholly interrupted over a period of 2,500 years,

Arezzo lies in a cup-shaped valley in the Appenines at the head of the Vai di Chiana and the depression communicates with the Amo and the Upper Tiber Valleys. This close proximity of three large valleys has had an important bearing on the prosperity of the area, for within historical times the head waters of the Chiana have changed their flow from the Tiber to the Amo, and the resulting stagnation in the valley led to extensive swamps and malarial outbreaks during mediaeval times. Curiously enough, certain cities such as Chiusi sought to preserve the stagnant and swampy areas on account of their defensive value and their influence on game. Arezzo has a long Umbran and Etruscan history, and. under the Etruscans it developed the large export industry in fine painted and bas relief vases, and was known throughout the classical world for its Vasi Arretini. The decoration was Greek but the workmen appear to have been the native Arettini. In addition, the wonderful bronze Chimera and statue of Minerva were found at Arezzo. Both were in the Florence Archaeological Museum before the war. A few traces of the early walls of the pro-Roman City have been excavated, but Arezzo cannot compare with such cities as Cortona or Vol terra for wellpreserved Etruscan defences. After the fall of Rome, Arezzo was one of the very few centres in Italy which appears to have carried on some 'of its, Roman Institutions though most of its fine public buildings like the Baths were destroyed during the invasion of the Goths. The Lombards established Arezzo as part of the Tuscan Marches, but by the Xlth Century the control had already passed to the Count-Bishops of Arezzo. Returning to the question of the preservation of culture, it must be recorded that as early as the VlHth Century there was a public Studio which remained in flourishing condition until the XlVth Century. This early school preceded these of most of the cities of Italy, and Arezzo in the IXth and Xth Centuries could compare with Benevento, Salerno and other isolated centres of learning. The story of the fighting Bishops of

Arezzo typifies for Italy the way in which some of the early Communes emerged under the control and protection of the Bishop, who exercised all the functions of the feudal lords. The Arezzo Bishops fought hard and well to defend their patrimony, and in 1258 we find them at war with Cortona over the nonpayment of certain dues. In this year the Arretini broke into the city of Cortona through the Becarelli gate, and, after destroying part of the town, drove out many of the inhabitants who did not succeed in re-entering their own homes until the rival Bishop of Siena had interested his town in the rights of Cortona. Until 1800 the helmet and sword of the Bishops of Arezzo lay on the High Altar of the Cathedral when not in active use. . > Under its heroic Tarleti, Übertini and Guidi Bishops, the Aretini for a short time gained the supremacy of Tuscany and conquered in turn Chiusi, Cortona, Monte Fulciano, and many little fortresses in the Chiana valley. A combined force from Florence and Siena sought to besiege them, but wisely retired and shortly afterwards the Sienese force was well beaten separately. Florence gained a temporary victory in 1289 at Camaldine, but within 20 years Bishop Guida Tarleti had rebuilt the city walls and Arezzo was at the height of its splendour, and actively supporting the Emperor’s (or Ghibelline) cause. . Hence a Papal excommunication for the Bishop, who, in reply, crowned

the German Emperor Ludwig at Milan in 1327. Passing on to the siege of Pisa, the fighting Count-Bishop died suddenly and his. successor sold the freedom of Arezzo to Florence for 40,000 gold florins. Its later history is without any important incident except its resistance to the French in 1800 and its exploits, under the cloak of patriotism, against Siena about the same time. Many leading intellects have been bom or associated with Arezzo. < The patron of Horace and Virgil was an Arre tine. One of the inventors of modern musical notation Guido Monaco (Xlth Century)—and Pertarch, were later luminaries. Amongst the many intellectuals of purely Italian fame in the XlHth to XVIIth Centuries one, Andrea Cesalpino, is claimed as a fore-runner of William Harvey in discovering the details of the circulation of the blood. It is not surprising that Arezzo has its second largest church dedicated to St.. Francis, for that Saint first received the Stigmata at Monte la Verno not far from Arezzo in the year 1224. .The frescoes and typical nave of the Franciscan Church are among the more important in Italy, and some of the best known are the work of Piero della Francesco whose series of The Legend of the Cross is unfortunately now incomplete. A detailed description is not possible, but the central theme is the discovery of the true Cross by the Empress Helena, wife of Constantine. Santa Maria della Pieve is reached by turning down the Via Mazzini and left in the Corso Vittorio Emmanuele. The facade of this church has a remarkable series of three super-imposed loggias of carved and sculptured ' columns behind which, on the first tier over the central doorway, is a fine rose-window. The capitals and the lunetta over the three doorways are carved with scenes of the Madonna, Angels and Saints and the central door shows also bas-reliefs of the months of the year, January, for example, being represented by a man close to a pot heating over the fire and July by the .threshing of grain. The Campanile of the Church has five tiers of bifore openings, two on each face, making forty in all. The interior of the church

has many curious features, not the least being the carved faces on the presbytery capitals. There are many good XHlth Century reliefs and sculptures inside the Church but some of them come from other parts of the Valdi Chiana. Almost every part of this church, both without and within, has good and surprising XH-XIIIth Century sculpture which in its naive simplicity often has a curiously modem feeling as, for example, the Baptism of Jesus over the facade doorway. The Cathedral of Arezzo is ; a fine Gothic building standing isolated on a terraced platform approached by steps. Its restoration has been well carried put and has preserved the spirit if not The form of the original. It was commenced about 1278 by Marguritone but suspended after a few years and only re-commenced in the first quarter of the XIV Century. The interior is Basilical in form and has the usual three naves divided by columns of varying style which support the roof on characteristic Gothic or Ogival Arches. The ceiling is mostly decorated by XVIIth Century artists and its subjects are easy to understand and pleasing in execution. 1 The main altar is covered with bomb-proof protection which conceals one of the world’s masterpieces of XlVth Century carving. It is the famous ark of S. Donato and consists of a number of carved panels and delicate tracery, the detail of which has all the quality -in stone of some of the better, bronze doors of Florence. The Palazzo Municipale is very characteristic and has the coats of arms of past podestas and 'the watch tower which seemed so much a part, of all such buildings. Another feature of Arezzo is the number of houses which have fairly elaborate architectural or geometric designs painted on their exterior. Many of the designs are traditional, and a few are not unlike the type of architectural decoration which was a feature in the early Roman House. This decoration is also found in other villages and small towns in the Arezzo area.