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June & July 2005

Arezzo (Tuscany)

Jeremy Koh
2005-11-05 11:58:07

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Despite visiting dozens of churches throughout the trip, so much that I've lost count of how many I visited, this church is definitely one of my favorites.

Actually, there are many churches in Arezzo, most of them very lovely I must add. Visit all if you have the time but if you don't have enough time, don't miss the Church of San Francesco. The exterior of the church might look rather plain (it is unfinished after all) but the interior with its unique, great nave is considered one of the most majestic examples of gothic monastic architecture in Tuscany. You'll also see frescoes adorning the walls. They depict the Legend of the Holy Cross drawn from Jacopo de Voragine's "Golden Legend," a 13th century text that recounts the miraculous story of the wood of Christ's Cross. Unfortunately, parts of the frescoes have already peeled off. On the high altar, there is a 13th century crucifix showing S. Francesco kissing Christ's feet.

Well, my purpose in Arezzo is not just sightseeing, though I would be very glad to do so. For a couple of days before the performance, we rehearsed in Piccolo Teatro (meaning small theatre), which has a tiny wooden stage. Surprisingly, it's ceiling was also adorned with beautiful frescoes. For the few days leading up to the performance and on performance day itself, we didn't do much sightseeing, though I grabbed every opportunity I had to explore the town. I remember once we had a one hour break and I decided to walk around and explore the town on my own. In that one hour, I visited a couple of churches and also went to the 2nd century Roman Amphitheatre, the ellipse structure of which and some remains of the supporting walls of the steps can be seen. It sure isn't much to look at and you really have to use your imagination to imagine gladiators fighting there once. And so I moved on. Eventually I landed up in front of the gateway of San Lorentino, known as ...

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Very detailed descriptions of building structures and the town which can definitely draw readers into visiting this lovely. peaceful town.

Prema, 2005-11-17 04:49:13