CHURCHES OF DIFFERENT STYLES

CHURCHES OF DIFFERENT STYLES

Among all the things people should visit in Arezzo, there are several reasons why its churches certainly play a fundamental role. First of all, because they depict a part of the history of Arezzo, which goes from the age of the communes to the 20th century. Secondly, because they can show us a great variety of architectures: from the Romanesque one, to a more or less marked Gothic one, to the Renaissance one, to the ones characteristic of the 17th-18th century. Lastly, even though this might be the main reason for tourists, because of so much art (not only in terms of quantity, but also of a high value) present inside the curches of Arezzo.
In this regard, it is necessary to mention: the Basilica of Saint Francis, which attracts many tourists thanks to Piero della Francesca's wonderful frescos; the Duomo with Guglielmo de Marcillat's glass windows done during the 16th century, with one of Piero della Francesca's Virgin Maries, with Della Robbia's altarpieces and with even more; the Parish Church of Saint Mary, which conserves Lorenzetti's altarpiece and other works of art that look like jewels set in its breath-taking architecture; the Basilica of Saint Domenico, where the extraordinary crucifix painted by Cimabue, "framed" by the many frescos painted on the walls, stands out over the altar; the church of the Badia with several works of art belonging to the 16th-17th century, among which there are two that were created by Giorgio Vasari; the Curch of the Santissima Annunziata; the Church of Saint Mary in Gradi and the one of Saint Agostino. In addition, in the surroundings of the city there are extraordinary churches, such as: the Parish Church of Bagnoro, the Parish Church of Saint Polo, the Parish Church of the Chiassa Superiore, and the Parish Church of Sietina (even though it actually is just outside the municipality of Arezzo). If we want to do a few more kilometers we can go into the historical and naturalistic valleys of Casentino and Valdarno, the first two wetted by the Arno. In these lands we can visit eight extraordinary Romanesque churches. For all these churches the period of construction is the middle of the twelfth century.