Description of the attraction
Piazza Grande, also known as Piazza Vasari, is the main square in the Tuscan city of Arezzo. For centuries it was the center of social life: in the Middle Ages, the square was called Piazza del Comune, as it housed the building of the City Hall, and in the 16th century it became known as Piazza Vasari because of the imposing Loggia built on the north side of the square along the project of the famous artist and architect of the time, Giorgio Vasari.
Archaeological finds indicate that in the 3rd century BC. an Etruscan road passed through this place, which connected the "city of the living" with the "city of the dead", located on the small hill of Poggio del Sole. Later, an ancient Roman road was built here. In the Middle Ages, Piazza Grande was a huge market, in the northern part of which there was a bird market, which is why the square was sometimes called Piazza dei Mayali (Pig Square). Since the 11th century, Piazza Grande has become the center of Arezzo's political, commercial, military and religious life. In those days, the square looked almost the same as it does today, with the exception of its northern part, where you can now see the City Hall building with its red brick tower on the right and the Palazzo del Capitano on the left. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the square underwent significant changes: all medieval buildings were plastered, the towers and Gothic decorative elements disappeared, a fountain and the Court Palace were built. Gradually, the market trade in the square was streamlined, and today in Piazza Grande you can no longer see the market at all. And the square itself has ceased to be the center of city life, with the exception of the days of the Josstra del Sarachino knightly tournament, when a motley crowd gathers here again.
In the western part of Piazza Grande you can see the apse of the Church of Santa Maria della Pieve, as well as the façade adorned with a series of loggias. Unfortunately, the apse was poorly restored in 1864-78 and differs significantly from its original Romanesque appearance. Another notable building on the square is the Fraternita dei Laici building, which is now part of the Palace of the Court. It was erected at the end of the 14th century for the religious Brotherhood of St. Mary, founded in 1262. The brotherhood began by going around Arezzo twice a week asking for alms, and already in the Renaissance it became a wealthy and powerful urban institution - the brotherhood had its own schools, and it even sponsored the education of some students at the University of Pisa and abroad. … The brotherhood also financed the construction of the Vasari Loggia, the city churchyard, the city water supply system and the orphanage. The construction of the Fraternita dei Laici building began in 1375 and was completed only two centuries later. Such a long period was reflected in the fact that different styles were mixed in the external appearance of the building - Gothic, Renaissance and late Renaissance. In 1552, Felice da Fossato built a clock on the top of the Fraternite, which today is one of the oldest working clocks in Italy. According to legend, da Fossato was blinded after he built a clock so that he could no longer create anything like that. In the 18th century, between the apse of Santa Maria della Pieve and the Fraternita dei Laici building, the Palace of the Courts was built - perhaps the only Baroque building in Arezzo.
Slightly off to the side is Palazzo Lappoli, a 14th-century medieval building with a lovely wooden balcony and tower. It is believed that the tower was built a century later and generally belonged to another building to the left. In the 18th century, the Palazzo and tower were plastered and an iron balcony was added to the palace.
Another noteworthy building in Piazza Grande is the elegant Palazzo Bridzolari, built in the 15th century for the wealthy Kofani merchant family. Nearby is the Torre dei Cofani tower. But, of course, the "pearl" of the square is the Loggia Vasari - one of the most beautiful buildings in Arezzo. It was designed by Giorgio Vasari and is considered his masterpiece. Work on the construction of the Loggia began in 1573 and was completed after the death of the architect in the 17th century. The building got its name "Loggia" for a large open gallery, which once housed the best shops of the city.
In the northern part of the square, in front of the Loggia, stands Petrone - a stone column with a ball and a cross on top. It is a replica of the original 13th century column used to expose criminals and debtors. And in the lower part of Piazza Grande you can see the fountain, built according to the project of Vasari in 1602.
