The Landscape, the Art

Cortona is in the province of Arezzo , rising on a steep spur of Monte Sant' Egidio at 650 m. a.s.l Powerful walls, witnesses of a glorious past, contain museum, churches, convents, palaces, works of art and masterpieces that today make Cortona one of the places in central Italy better known and most visited by tourists. The city, surrounded by olive groves and vineyards, is a stupendous terrace that overlooks one of the most striking panoramas of Italy. At her feet extend the wide and fertile plains of the Val di Chiana ;
On the horizon are the mountains of Siena, among which stand out Amiata and Cetona. Lake Trasimeno appears on the other side of the hills that saw the clash between the stoops of Hannibal and those of Consul General Flaminus (217 B.C ) .


The architectural aspect of Cortona is characteristic : the palaces and churches, made primarily of pietra serena, rise up along narrow, steep streets paved with large stone slabs. Of special note among the medieval and renaissance palaces are the Palazzo Comunale of the 13th century ; Palazzo Casali, the seat of the museum of the Etruscan Academy, which houses collections of Egyptian, Etruscan and Roman artefacts as well as a picture gallery which includes paintings by Luca Signorelli and Pinturicchio, Palazzo Cristofanello ; the Villa Passerini ( called il Palazzone, now the home of the Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa ).


Of the religions edifices the most important artistic monument is without question the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie al Calcinaio, by Francesco di Giorgio Martini, begun in 1485. It is among the most perfect buildings of the Renaissance period. Also of significance are the churches of San Francesco, begun by brother Elia Coppi in 1245 ; San Domenico ; the preromanesque abbey of Farneta ; the Romanesque church of Sant' Angelo. The church of Gesù houses the Diocesan museum where along with the celebrated " Annunciation " of Fra Angelico, paintings by Luca Signorelli, Pietro Lorenzetti and Duccio di Boninsegna may be seen.

The ancient Medici fortress towers over the highest part of the town ; a little lower is the basilica of Santa Margherita. From here you may reach the center of town by following the "Stations of the Cross ", mosaics by Cortonese artist Gino Severini. They mark the way down via Santa Margherita, a charming street with a striking view of the valley.


An architectural complex of great charm is the convento delle Celle ( convent of the cells ), situated a few dozen metres from the agriturismo, amidst the greenery of the dense oak woods on the slopes of Monte Sant' Egidio. The monastery was founded by Saint Francis at the beginning of the 13th century