Description of the attraction
Palazzo del Capitano is one of the most elegant buildings in Arezzo from the 13th century, which today houses the collection of Ivan Bruschi, the famous collector of antiquities. The palace is located directly opposite the famous Romanesque church of Santa Maria della Pieve in Piazza Grande, at the highest point of the historic city. Probably, the name Palazzo del Capito was given due to the fact that this building housed the residence of the Guelph ruler of Arezzo. In general, the palace was originally built for the noble Lodomeri family, and then belonged to another influential family - Kamayani (today it is sometimes called Palazzo Kamayani). Another name for the palace was Palazzo della Zecca. It was built in the 13th century on the site of another, more ancient building. The history of Palazzo del Capano can be partially read from the family coats of arms that adorn its façade. Here you can see the emblem of the Consul Arezzo (a gold cross on a red background), the coat of arms of the Camayani family (a dark blue cloth with a gold ribbon and a red rake with a fleur-de-lis flower), a symbol of the Consul of Florence (also with a fleur-de-lis flower) … It is known that in the 15th century the Palazzo belonged to the city municipality and was minted there. And if you look closely, you can see traces of the damage that was inflicted on the palace during the bombing of the city during the Second World War. The palace was rebuilt in the 1960s with the participation of Ivan Bruski.
The beautiful and austere façade of the Palazzo is made of ordinary hewn stone. The four portals include a low arch on the ground floor and a narrow frame with simple decorations. Above, there are five windows that follow the modulations of the window openings on the first floor. The wide entrance to the palace creates a typical Tuscan impression of austerity, and the partial shade at the entrance creates the impression of harmony and a certain asceticism. The walls are decorated with valuable engravings. A corridor leads to a 14th-century courtyard with an old well in the center and a loggia with columns and carved capitals. You should definitely pay attention to the wooden vaults of the salons on the ground floor, from the windows of which you can see the Church of Santa Maria della Pieve.
The last wish of Ivan Bruski, the world renowned collector of antiquities who lived in the Palazzo del Capitano, was the creation of a Foundation dedicated to art and ancient culture. Such a fund was created, it consists of two branches. The first is located just in the Palazzo del Capitano, which is also known as the House-Museum of Ivan Bruski. It is in this "house of miracles" that his unique collection of antiquities is exhibited. The second branch is the Gallery in Piazza San Francesco, which hosts the Antiques Fair.
