What to See in the Village of Cortona in Tuscany

For better or worse, the village of Cortona in the province of Arezzo has become a symbol: of how a small Tuscan village can become a destination for global tourism thanks to a successful film.

Of how this tourism can, in part, disrupt centuries-old living habits. The famous film is "Under the Tuscan Sun", based on the book of the same name by writer Frances Mayes. The plot is quite simple: Frances is a writer from San Francisco who is depressed after separating from her husband. Her friend, Patti, gifts her ten days of vacation in Cortona.

The writer falls in love with Tuscany and decides to buy a villa to change her life and stay forever in Italy.

The film embodies the dream of many people around the world, and the international success of the movie has filled Cortona with tourists from anglo-saxon countries eager to take a selfie in the same places as Frances.

This often covers more of an anxiety to appear at a location than to actually visit it, since these fleeting tourists seldom take in the beauty of Cortona. Instead, in this Tuscan village in the province of Arezzo there is much to see, as we highlight in this page.

If you have seen any photos of Cortona, it probably depicted this square. Here, the two most important monuments of the Arezzo village sit: the Town Hall and the Palazzo del Capitano del Popolo, which we will discuss in the following paragraphs. The square once hosted the Roman Forum and has been a meeting place among the main streets of the village for centuries. Here the inhabitants of Cortona gather, and tourists concentrate to snap postcard photos on the steps of the Town Hall. The overall impression, though orderly and clean despite the crowd, always gives the feeling of a living room under the sky, a place to meet and spend some time chatting at the cafe tables.

The grand and scenic staircase leads to the Town Hall, which has been there for nearly 1000 years and tells us the long history of the building that has always represented local power. In the 1500s and later in the 1800s, several modifications were made, as demonstrated by the difference in style on the battlemented tower with the clock. On the right side of the palace, there is a column from 1508 with the "Marzocco" the lion symbol of Florentine power. Inside, particularly worth a visit is the Council Hall with its 16th-century fireplace carved in stone.

Turning the corner to the right of the Town Hall, you enter Piazza Signorelli, the other elegant lounge of Cortona. The name comes from Luca Signorelli, a great local painter who left his most significant works in the Duomo di Orvieto. The square houses the Teatro Signorelli, the main cultural venue of the village, and the Palazzo Consoli (or Praetory) which hosts the MAEC, the collection of city museums.

In the underground and upper floors of the Palazzo Consoli, the works of the Museum of the Etruscan Academy and the City of Cortona (MAEC), the Academy library, and the Historical Municipal Archive are collected. In the external ground-floor rooms of the palace, contemporary art exhibitions are held on a rotating basis.

For those who love Etruscan civilization, the MAEC is a true paradise. Here are collected some of the most significant testimonies of this extraordinary people that lived in these territories for millennia. The museum is divided into two main sections: that of the Etruscan Academy, the most important cultural institution in the city, and the City's Museum which collects works from Etruscan and Roman Cortona.

Among the must-see works are the Etruscan bronze chandelier, the Musa Polimnia, Etruscan and Roman ceramics and bronzes, archaeological materials from the city and its territory. In the medieval section, there is an extraordinary work by Luca Signorelli, the painter from Cortona. It depicts the Virgin with Child, surrounded by Saints linked to the city of Cortona: Michael, Vincent, Margaret, and Mark. The museum also houses works by futurist artist Gino Severini, including an extraordinary Maternity.

Opening hours WINTER HOURS November 1 - March 31: from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM closed on Mondays

SUMMER HOURS April 1 - October 31: from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM open every day Closed on December 25

Ticket price: 10 euros including any temporary exhibitions

Behind the austere facade are housed some important works: the Madonna della Manna, a painted terracotta piece from the 15th century, the Adoration of the Shepherds by Pietro da Cortona, a 17th-century wooden crucifix by Andrea Sellari, and a 17th-century canvas by Lorenzo Berrettini depicting the Madonna with Child and Saints. In the right nave, there are two 17th-century canvases by Raffaello Vanni (Transfiguration) and Lorenzo Berrettini (Death of Saint Joseph). Very important is also the Madonna del Pianto, a painted terracotta work by an unknown artist from the 13th century. Two fundamental works were once housed here, now at the Diocesan Museum: the Majesty by Pietro Lorenzetti and the Assumption of the Virgin by Luca Signorelli.

The Diocesan Museum of Cortona is located in the complex formed by the former Church of Jesus and a small chapel, or lower church. In these two spaces are gathered some extraordinary works by local artists. The Annunciation and the Triptych of Cortona by Beato Angelico are worth a visit to Cortona alone, but the museum also houses 9 works by Luca Signorelli including the magnificent Lamentation over the Dead Christ. There are also works by the Madonna, the Shaped Cross, and the Crucifix by Pietro Lorenzetti. In addition, works by Giuseppe Maria Crespi, Andrea del Sarto, and Sassetta (Polyptych of Saint Dominic of Cortona).

Ticket price € 5.00 general admission € 3.00 reduced for groups of over 15 people and children 6-12 years € 1.00 reduced for school groups Free admission for children under years

Opening hours: April 1 - October 31: every day 10 AM - 7 PM; November 1 - March 31: Tuesday - Sunday 10 AM - 5 PM. Closed on Mondays and December 25.

A place of worship to which the residents of Cortona are very attached is the church dedicated to Saint Margaret, born and lived in Cortona. Behind the severe facade, for many centuries, beautiful frescoes were preserved, of which there are few traces left in the Diocesan Museum. The church houses the Funeral Monument of Saint Margaret, her remains, and the sacred crucifix that purportedly spoke to the saint.