Description of the attraction
Piazza San Francesco is one of the oldest squares in Arezzo, which was relatively small until 1870, and then was significantly altered. The Church of San Francesco, on the left side of the square, was once the dominant feature of the entire space, as can be seen in an engraving from the late 18th century. The narrow Via Cavour ended at the entrance to the Caffe dei Costanti, and opposite, at the corner between Via Cavour and Piazza San Francesco, stood a huge convent adjacent to the church. In 1870, the monastery was demolished in order to increase the area of the square and build a wide street to Piazza Guido Monaco. However, many residents of the city agreed that the transformation had a negative impact on the overall harmony of the square.
The Church of San Francesco, which gave the name to the square, is most famous for its frescoes by the great Pietro della Francesca depicting the legend of the Life-giving Cross. These frescoes were recently restored and today attract thousands of tourists. The church itself was built in the 14-15th centuries, and its bell tower was erected in the late 16th - early 17th centuries. In the same period, the church underwent a number of renovations and acquired a baroque appearance: stone altars were added, frescoes on the walls and vaults of the temple were painted over with white paint, and Gothic chapels were demolished. The crypt was divided into two chapels - Santa Caterina and San Donato, which were later decorated with frescoes. In the early years of the 19th century, the crypt was sold to private hands, and the church itself was used as a military hostel for many years. It wasn't until the 1970s that San Francesco and its priceless frescoes were meticulously restored. Today the church is an imposing building with strict lines and an unfinished facade.
On the south side of Piazza San Francesco, there is a large building that stretches down to Via Guido Monaco, which today houses various shops. Once this building was occupied by the famous antique shop "Gallery Bruski", owned by Ivan Bruski, one of the largest Italian collectors of antiquities. It was he who came up with the idea of organizing the Antique Fair, for which Arezzo is so famous today. Bruschi's extensive collection of antique furniture, sculptures and jewelery is on display at the Museum named after him in Corso Italia.
On the north side of Piazza San Francesco there are two more noteworthy buildings - house no. 11, which has preserved its medieval appearance, and house no. 18, which houses the Accademia dei Costanti. And right in front of the Church of San Francesco there is a monument to Vittorio Fossombroni, erected in 1864. Fossombroni was a scientist and politician, worked for the Grand Duke of Tuscany and himself played a significant role in the life of Arezzo. He was best known among his descendants for draining the marshy Valdichiana Valley, one of the four valleys that surround Arezzo.
No less interesting is the Caffe dei Costanti cafe - the oldest in the city. It was opened back in 1804 as a closed club for the noble residents of Arezzo, and later became a favorite meeting place for all citizens. In one of the back rooms of the cafe, old photographs are displayed, giving an idea of how this building and the surrounding structures looked in the past. Today the cafe is famous for its homemade ice cream and delicious pastries prepared according to old recipes. In 1997, Roberto Benigni filmed here a number of scenes for his famous film Life is Beautiful.
