Tuscany and Cortona
Tuscany and Cortona
Cortona is located in a beautiful position on a hill at 650 meters, surrounded by olive trees and vines and faces one of the most harmonious landscape of Italy. The origins of this town are full of legends and mistery. Virgilio says that Daradano, after had founded the town, left for the orient and built Troia. Many other greek authors, like Teopompo, Aristotele and Licofrone say that Ulisse died in Cortona. Sure is that, at the Etruscan time, Cortona was one of the twelve Lucumonìe. The Greek called it “Croton”, Tito Livio “Cortona” and Virgilio, in his poem Eneide, called it “Corytus”. The evidence of his appurtenance at the Etruscan Civilitation is well showed by the impressiveness of its wall and by the large quantity of exhibits and archeological treasures that are kept in the museum of the Etruscan Academy. The recently discovery of the monumental tomb named “Melone II del Sodo”, which dates back to the VI cen. b.C., confirms the extremely importance of this town in the Etruscan History. Cortona became a roman colony at Lucio Cornelio Silla time. During the second Punic War, the 24th June 217 b.C., nearby the Trasimeno Lake, which is very closed to Cortona, Annibale with his strong army faced the roman army, commanded by Flaminio consul, and the battle which led to is remembered as one of the most bloody of our history. During the barbarian invations Cortona was devastated by the Goti, (450 a.C.); by then, the further news we get about the town are related at the XIII cen., when Cortona was became a free city with its owen currency and which was often in competition with the town of Arezzo. At the time of the fightings between the Guelfi and Ghibellini, Cortona chose to be Ghibellian and was visited and privilised by Frederic the Second of Sweden and Henry the Seventh of Luxemburg. The Casali Family ruled the town of Cortona since 1325 to 1409 and obtained this privilege grace to its political merits. Since 1529 Cortona became part of the Granducato of Tuscany and, before with the Medici Family and then, since 1737, with the Lorena Family, followed its sourt. At last Cortona became part of the new Reign of Italy in the 1860. The illustrious men, the palace and the churces of Cortona are evidence of its Middle Ages and Renaissance tradition.
What a lot of images the view of Italy can suggest! There is a region that, where our eyes pause for a moment, arouses particular feelings of admiration: TUSCANY. Who has not ever thought about spending a holiday in Tuscany? This is the land of biggest artist in the world: Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Giotto, the greatest poet Dante, the highest writer Boccaccio and the supreme scientist Galileo Galilei. This is the land that contains inestimable works of art: a lot of masterpieces which enrich, the most important Museums in the world, adorn abbeys, castles, churches, palaces, villas…
Art and beauty shine every where…
Tuscany opens itself in a shining embrace of seashores strewn whit a beautiful archipelago; with a marvellous mountain setting full of forests and roaring eaters; with a serene and street expanse of hills rich in vines, olive graves, cypresses, full of gardens, parks and charming villages; with this towns and cities rich of history which has spread all over Italy the sweet harmony of our language…
The beauty of its art shines in every valley, starting from the marvellous scenery of Florence, laid in a hollow between the hills. In front of us there is the gentle and prodigious “city of the flower” the only which can tell us its story! Cities have their soul as well because they are not made only whit stones, but they preserve the particular memories of the happy of sad events they have seen during the centuries. It is just from this event that constitutes the soul of the city. Florence can tell us its story: let’s listen to it…
Arezzo is another delightful and noble city, set in a beautiful position up the hill, above the fertile plain where the “Valdichiana” joins the plain of the river Arno. It was just this position that made of Arezzo one of the most important Etruscan cities. The tourist who travel Valtiberina, Valdichiana and Valdarno sees the beauty of their soft hills, the mountains covered with woods and emerald meadows. You can find other interesting please such as Pisa, Lucca, Montepulciano, Montalcino, Pienza, all near to the city of CORTONA.
Just Cortona can satisfy the expectations of the people who want to know the richest and most precious artistic patrimony in the world. The city of Cortona has welcomed a lot of parts and artist from everywhere and it represent a place of faith which has lasted for centuries. Cortona is one of the cities built by the willpower of men de ring the time and it is unique of its kind because is the symbol of the Etruscan civilization. All the territory of Cortona, is full of beautiful ruins of the Etruscans (tombs called “melons”, little temples tool) which have be found more or less recently. Besides, Cortona is the centre of numerous cultural and folklorist events: “the national exposition of the antique furniture” (the last Sunday of August-first of September); the “Steak festival” (14-15 of August); the National fair of Copper (April); The Archidado Tournament (May). To spend your holidays in Cortona means also relaxation and amusement with the open air-cinema and the numerous sport, Theatre and music event which culminate whit “Umbria jazz” festival, which for two days in July, occupies the streets of the city ands with the big concerts in Piazza Signorelli. Therefore, if you stay in our “residence” you can make a lot of excursions in these beautiful places of Tuscan and visit other cities like Perugia, Castiglion del Lago, Assisi, Spoleto, Gubbio, Siena, San Gimignano, Montalcino, Arezzo, Firenze. You can al so spend your time in the gilded beaches of Lago Trasimeno and go to its island: Polvese and Maggiore.
