 | Under a Tuscan Sun Flying over Cortona in Tuscany - In 2002, whilst living in Castiglion Fiorentino in Tuscany, I had the opportunity to do some flying over Cortona and my Village, please enjoy the sights of a wonderful village -- compliments of Alessandro Sorbello Productions http://www.alessandrosorbello.com you are listening to the original music of Jaider http://youtube.com/watch?v=E4O7STJFGxA If you are looking for a place to spend your holidays in Tuscany then check out http://www.AcommodationTuscany.com Tuscany is world famous for its wonderful wines http://www.vinidellatoscana.com/ Travelling south from Arezzo you pass through the rather flat and uninspiring Valdichiana (this is drained swampland, reclaimed along with the Maremma by the Etruscans, and now prime cattle country), flanked by numerous hilltop towns, the finest of which is undoubtedly Cortona. Visible from all around, a five kilometre drive through vineyards and olive groves, passing the splendid Renaissance church of Santa Maria delle Grazie en route, will take you up and up towards the town, dominated by the ubiquitous Medici fortress. This is one in a series of films produced and published by Alessandro Sorbello http://www.alessandrosorbello.com and taken from the air which show the area around Cortona and include, Under a Tuscan Sun http://youtube.com/watch?v=dQCajbkw5yo and Flying Over Lago Trasimeno, Umbria http://youtube.com/watch?v=okuPTgzHTe0 and Incorporates Tuscany Villas and landscapes http://youtube.com/watch?v=nYFtAm-vE_g whilst flying over Flying over Castiglion Fiorentino, Tuscany http://youtube.com/watch?v=u6qlAdK1TrY Cortona is surrounded by ancient fortified walls, and this built in planning restriction has meant that nearly all new development has occurred lower down the hill, leaving Cortona as a delightful mediaeval town to explore on foot. Cortona was an Etruscan town that today offers many important remains: the outer walls, the bronze lamp from the 5th. century BC, the majestic tombs of noble families with the latest discovery, the Melone II of Sodo, dating back to the 7th. century BC. The Etruscan town welcomes its visitors not only on behalf of the "Lucumoni" (the ancient Etruscan lords), but also on behalf of its popular patron saint, Saint Margaret of Cortona along with San Francis of Assisi who founded the hermitic monastery of "Le Celle" in Cortona. It was one of the most evolved medieval city-states, still profuse with pure renaissance forms; The Calcinaio church, Francesco di Georgio Martini's masterpiece. The present perimeter is about 3 Km. And it coincides, for almost 2/3, with that one of the ancient Etruscan town-walls, on which the present walls are built. The Etruscan remains can be distinguished from the overhanging walls which were built during the Middle Ages, because they are made of huge quadrangular rocks. On the hilltop of the cortonese's hill is the Medicean fortress required by the Medici family and built by Francesco Laparelli in 1549. Cortona, hometown to so many famous painters from Luca Signorelli to Pietro Berrettini da Cortona to Gino Severini. And then the last little secret about Cortona: some ancient historians suggested that Ulysses was buried here! It is only a legend, but what an extraordinary one! Cortona and Tuscany are the subject of several highly readable books by Frances Mayes wrote about renovating are house in the area where she still lives for part of the year. These books give a highly authentic impression of life in this part of Italy. One of her books, Under the Tuscan Sun was made into a popular movie. Cortona is a small but fascinating city in the province of Arezzo, Tuscany, central Italy, situated on a commanding hill, and overlooking Lake Trasimeno. Its cyclopean walls, still in great part preserved, are said to be 3000 years old. It was one of the twelve cities of Etruria and in its vicinity many ruins and Etruscan tombs maybe seen. Cortona took part in all the wars against Rome until 310 B.C. when Fabius Rullianus defeated the Etruscans and took Perugia. Perugia, with other cities including Cortona, then made peace with Rome. Later Cortona was destroyed by the Lombards but was soon rebuilt. In the fourteenth century it was governed by the Casali and afterwards became part of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany. Many famous men were born or lived in Cortona: Brother Elias (Elia Coppi), the famous companion of St. Francis of Assisi, and later Vicar-General of the Franciscan Order; Cardinals Egidio Boni and Silvio Passerini; the painter Luca Signorelli; the architect and painter Pietro Berrettini (Pietro da Cortona). St. Margaret of Cortona (1248-97) was born at Laviano (Alviano) in the Diocese of Chiusi, and became the mistress of a nobleman of the vicinity. On discovering his body after he had met a violent death, she repented and, after a public penance, retired to Cortona, where she took the habit of a Tertiary of St. Francis and devoted her life to works of penance and charity. There still exist in Cortona religious works due to her zeal. Leo X permitted her veneration at Cortona, and Urban VIII extended the privilege to the Franciscan Order. Benedict XIII canonized her in 1728. Her body rests in a beautiful sarcophagus in the church dedicated to her at Cortona. It is not known whether Cortona was an episcopal see previous to its destruction by the Lombards. From that time until 1325 it belonged to the Diocese of Arezzo. In that year, at the request of Guglielmo Casali, John XXII raised Cortona to episcopal rank, as a reward for the fidelity of its Guelph populace, Arezzo remaining Ghibelline. The first bishop was Rainerio Ubertini. Other bishops were Luca Grazio, who was a distinguished member of the Council of Florence (1438); Matteo Concini (1560) and Gerolamo Gaddi (1562) were present at the Council of Trent. The cathedral and the other churches of Cortona possess numerous works of art, especially paintings of the school of Luca Signorelli and of Fra Angelico. FROM THE ORIGINS OF THE CITY TO THE FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE The foundation of the city is lost in the fog of numerous legends of which there are traces going back to the classical era. These legends were elaborated upon and notably took shape in the late part of the Renaissance period under the rule of Cosimo the First (1537-1574). Despite opposition, he set up a plan to achieve the following goals: - In regards to the Florentine ruling class: to enhance the image of the Tuscan territory as ancient Etruria not only for the antiquity of all its most famous cities which dated back to roots of civilization immediately following the Great Flood, but with the aim of obtaining for the the territory and for the city the recognition of a Grand Duchy and the title of Grand Duke for Cosimo. This was granted by Pope Pius V in 1570- - In regards to the Cortonese ruling class: to enhance the image of the city by presenting it as the most noble and ancient among the cities of Tuscany, which had enjoyed an autonomous social structure from the time of the Etruscan lucomonia until it was transformed into the free Comune of Medieval times. Placed in the context of that time, in which the relationship with the "Signori" of Florence who had taken over Cortona was bitter, this research into the myths and legends particularly of those Etruscan gave an opportunity to the ruling Cortonese to reclaim some of the city's autonomy. The guidebook from the sixteen hundreds by Giacomo Lauro, refers to writings by Annio Viterbese (1432-1502), who touches on many writers of antiquity. He reports that eight hundred years after the Flood, Noah while navigating at the mouth of the Tiber River, crosses il Paglia and enters into the valley of the Chiana. He likes this place more than any other in Italy as it is very fertile land and therefore stops and lives there for thirty years. One of his offspring named Crano arrives at one of the hills and is very pleased with the altitude, the amenities and the air of tranquility. He builds the city of Cortona on this spot two hundred-seventythree years after the Flood. It is affirmed by Stefano, a great Greek historian, as the third city in Italy to be built after the Flood, and the metropolis of the ancient Turreni people. Noah saw that Crano had done a good deed and names him Corito, that is King and Successor of the Realm. In fact Curim, from which the word Corito derives means scepter which is called Quirim in Latin from which the title Quirino is given to Romolo. Crano, after taking the title of King, constructs a kingdom of towers high on the hill of which there are still remains in an area called Torremozza. The kingdom of Crano was called Turrenia because the city that the descendant of Noah constructed had high towers. This was the first name of Tuscany and the inhabitants were called Turreni. However, as they were descendants of Noah who had been spared from the waters "ab imbribus" some were called Imbri or in vernacular Umbri. From the descendants of Crano, Dardanus was born. Following internal turmoil he flees to Samotracia then to Frigia and finally to Lydia, where he founded the city of Troy. From Troy descendants of Dardanus, now Greeks, return to live in Turrenia, that is Tuscany, and they were the Etruscans. Among these Greeks who came to Turrenia and Cortona were Ulysses and Pythagoras. In fact, ancient legends which are reported by the greek writers Aristotle and his conteprorary Teopompo, would have Ulysses emigrate ater his return to Itaca and the masssacre of the Proci, to Italy and more precisely in Etruria, to the city which Teopompo called in Greek Curtonaia, and citing this place, Cortona proper or its suburbs as his burial place. In Etruria Ulysses was much respected and referred to as Nanos which meant the Wanderer and his burial site was identified as being at "monte Pergo" near the modern day location of Pergo., Pythagoras after his stay in Cortona, died there, and was buried in a tomb which is called today "Grotta di Pitagora". According to Virgil (Eneide III and IV), Enea a descendant of Dardano fled the destroyed city of Troy to Lazio where his descendants founded Rome. This would have Cortona giving origin first to Troy and then to Rome. |
 | Cortona Tuscany seen from the air. One of a series of films produced by Alessandro Sorbello http://www.alessandrosorbello.com and featuring original music by Jaider http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4O7STJFGxA Film taken from the air in the same location as Under A Tuscan Sun Cortona is a small but fascinating city in the province of Arezzo, Tuscany, central Italy, situated on a commanding hill, and overlooking Lake Trasimeno. Its cyclopean walls, still in great part preserved, are said to be 3000 years old. It was one of the twelve cities of Etruria and in its vicinity many ruins and Etruscan tombs maybe seen. Cortona took part in all the wars against Rome until 310 B.C. when Fabius Rullianus defeated the Etruscans and took Perugia. Perugia, with other cities including Cortona, then made peace with Rome. Later Cortona was destroyed by the Lombards but was soon rebuilt. In the fourteenth century it was governed by the Casali and afterwards became part of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany. Many famous men were born or lived in Cortona: Brother Elias (Elia Coppi), the famous companion of St. Francis of Assisi, and later Vicar-General of the Franciscan Order; Cardinals Egidio Boni and Silvio Passerini; the painter Luca Signorelli; the architect and painter Pietro Berrettini (Pietro da Cortona). St. Margaret of Cortona (1248-97) was born at Laviano (Alviano) in the Diocese of Chiusi, and became the mistress of a nobleman of the vicinity. On discovering his body after he had met a violent death, she repented and, after a public penance, retired to Cortona, where she took the habit of a Tertiary of St. Francis and devoted her life to works of penance and charity. There still exist in Cortona religious works due to her zeal. Leo X permitted her veneration at Cortona, and Urban VIII extended the privilege to the Franciscan Order. Benedict XIII canonized her in 1728. Her body rests in a beautiful sarcophagus in the church dedicated to her at Cortona. It is not known whether Cortona was an episcopal see previous to its destruction by the Lombards. From that time until 1325 it belonged to the Diocese of Arezzo. In that year, at the request of Guglielmo Casali, John XXII raised Cortona to episcopal rank, as a reward for the fidelity of its Guelph populace, Arezzo remaining Ghibelline. The first bishop was Rainerio Ubertini. Other bishops were Luca Grazio, who was a distinguished member of the Council of Florence (1438); Matteo Concini (1560) and Gerolamo Gaddi (1562) were present at the Council of Trent. The cathedral and the other churches of Cortona possess numerous works of art, especially paintings of the school of Luca Signorelli and of Fra Angelico. The Etruscan antiquity of the city is not in doubt, but its foundation is lost in the mists of many legends which were already told in classical times. These were later reworked especially in the late Renaissance period under Cosimo I de' Medici. They were concerned with reconciling of two opposed purposes: (a) The Florentine ruling class wanted to portray the huge domain of Tuscany as ancient Etruria, and to trace all its most famous towns right back to the time immediately following Noah's Flood. They wanted official recognition for them as a Grand Duchy, to obtain the title of Grand Duke for Cosimo. This was granted by Pope Pius V in 1570. (b) The Cortonese ruling class wanted to portray the city as the oldest and most noble in Tuscany, and to suggest that its local government arose from the Etruscan lucumonia and had been perpetuated in the medieval Comune. Hence they could argue for a share in the citizen government, after their rivals, the Florentine Lords, had taken control of the town. The 17th-century Guide of Giacomo Lauro, reworked from writings of the notorious forger Annio of Viterbo (1432-1502), which draws on many ancient writers, tells that 108 years after the Flood Noah, navigating from the mouth of the Tiber across the Paglia entered the Val di Chiana and, liking this place better than anywhere else in Italy because it was so fertile, stopped and dwelt there for thirty years. Among his descendants a son named Crano came to the hilltop and, liking the high position, the fine countryside and the calm air, built the city of Cortona on it in the year 273 after the Flood. Stefano (Greek historian, c.AD 539-545) calls this the third city of Italy constructed after the Flood, and the original capital of the Turreni. Noah, approving of Crano's work, named him Corito, i.e. King, and heir to the Kingdom. Crano, taking this title, built a palace tower atop the hill. Its remains are still at Torremozza. Crano's kingdom was called Turrenia because Noah's descendants built cities with high towers. That was the original name of Tuscany, and its inhabitants were called Turreni. But being descended from Noah, who was saved from the waters (Latin, "ab imbribus"), some were also called Imbri or (commonly) Umbri. a View of Piazza della Repubblica.Dardanus, a descendant of Cranus, after local disputes fled to Samothrace, then to Phrygia and at last to Lydia, and founded there the city of Troy. From Troy some descendants of Dardano, still Greek, returned to live in Turrenia (i.e. Toscana), and were the Etruscans. Among them were Ulysses and Pythagoras. Aristotle (4th century BC) and his contemporary Theopompus report older traditions that Ulysses emigrated to Italy after his return to Ithaca. According to them he came to Etruria, to a city which Theopompus calls Curtonaia, and they locate his tomb nearby. In Etruria (where he is esteemed) Ulysses was called Nanos, 'the Wanderer', and his tomb was said to be at "Monte Perge" near modern Pergo. According to Virgil (Aeneid III and VII) Aeneas, a descendant of Dardano, fled the destruction of Troy and came to Latium (Lazio) where his descendants founded Rome. Hence Cortona had given rise first to Troy, and then to Rome. The story that Pythagoras lived at Cortona, died and was buried there (the "Tanella di Pitagora") was a confusion between Cortona and Crotona in southern Italy. Main sights The prevailing character of Cortona's architecture is medieval with steep narrow streets situated on a hillside (altitude 600 metres), embracing a view of the whole of the Valdichiana. From the Piazza Garibaldi is a fine prospect of Lago Trasimeno, scene of Hannibal's ambush of the Roman army in 217 BC (Battle of Lake Trasimene). Parts of the Etruscan city wall can still be seen today as the basis of the present wall. Inside the Palazzo Casali is the Museo dell'Accademia Etrusca that displays items from Etruscan, Roman, and Egyptian civilizations, as well as art and artefacts from the Medieval and Renaissance eras. The distinguished Etruscan Academy Museum had its foundation in 1727 with the collections and library of Onofrio Baldelli. Among its most famous ancient artefacts is the bronze lampedario or Etruscan hanging lamp, found at Fratta near Cortona in 1840 and then acquired by the Academy for the large sum of 1600 Florentine scudi. Its iconography includes (under the 18 burners) alternating figures of Silenus playing panpipes or double flutes, and of sirens or harpies. Within zones representing waves, dolphins and fiercer sea-creatures is a gorgon-like face with protruding tongue. Between each burner is a modelled horned head of Achelous. It is supposed that the lampedario derived from some important north Etruscan religious shrine of around the second half of the fourth century BC. A later (2nd century BC) inscription shows it was rededicated for votive purposes (tinscvil) by the Musni family at that time (P. Bruschetti et al., Il Museo dell'Accademia Etrusca di Cortona, Catalogo (2nd Ediz., Calosci, Cortona 1996). The Museum contains several other important Etruscan bronzes. Etruscan chamber-tombs nearby include the 'Tanella di Pitagora' (halfway up the hill from Camucia), two at the foot of the hillside at Il Sodo, and a complex in Camucia. Il Sodo I contains pitch-roofed chambers of slab construction with an inscription, and can be visited. Il Sodo II contained a stone stepped platform with carved sphinxes devouring warriors, the originals in Arezzo Museum (1998). (see La Cortona dei Principes, ed P.Z. Grassi, Cortona 1992) The church of Santa Maria delle Grazie by Francesco di Giorgio Martini.The town's chief artistic treasures are two panels by Fra Angelico in the Diocesan Museum, an Annunciation and a Madonna and Child with Saints. A third surviving work by the same artist is the fresco above the entrance to the church of San Domenico, likewise painted during his stay at Cortona in 1436. The Diocesan Museum houses also a group of work by Giuseppe Maria Crespi, known as Lo Spagnuolo, called Ecstasy of St. Margaret. The Academy Museum includes the very well-known painting Maternità of 1916 by the Cortonese artist Gino Severini. There are also examples of the works of Pietro Berrettini (1596-1669), called Pietro da Cortona, pupil of Andrea Commodi. Also noteworthy is the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, designed by Francesco di Giorgio Martini. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cortona |
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