Tuscany, and Italy, in general, does not lack beautiful and historic churches to discover and explore. In fact, you could spend a lifetime doing just that and barely put a dent in their great number. However, some boast particular claims to fame; miracles worked there, famous figures buried on the premises, magic hands that helped design them, historic events that happened within their walls, impressive patrons or works by famous artists.
The latter scenario is the case of a church in Arezzo. The Franciscan church of San Francesco boasts frescoes painted in the main choir chapel (the Cappella Maggiore) by the great Renaissance master Piero della Francesca.
If you are an art-lover who has found a luxury villa in Arezzo and are spending time there, this will definitely be one activity that you'll want to pencil into the calendar.
The latter scenario is the case of a church in Arezzo. The Franciscan church of San Francesco boasts frescoes painted in the main choir chapel (the Cappella Maggiore) by the great Renaissance master Piero della Francesca.
If you are an art-lover who has found a luxury villa in Arezzo and are spending time there, this will definitely be one activity that you'll want to pencil into the calendar.
Piero della Francesca painted a fresco cycle narrating the stories of the True Cross, i.e. the cross on which Christ was crucified, and drew the subject-matter of the stories from Jacobus de Voragine's "Golden Legend". This 13th century text tells of how Adam, on his deathbed, sent his son Seth to the Archangel Michael, who gave the boy seeds from the tree that was the site of original sin and told him to place them in his father's mouth at the moment of his death.
A tree then grew on his grave and was later chopped down by King Solomon to make a bridge. When the Queen of Sheba passed over the bridge on her way to visit Solomon, she miraculously learned that the Saviour would be crucified on that wood. Solomon, knowing that this would be the end of the kingdom of the Jews, ordered the wood to be buried. However, it was then discovered in time to be the instrument of Christ's death.
A tree then grew on his grave and was later chopped down by King Solomon to make a bridge. When the Queen of Sheba passed over the bridge on her way to visit Solomon, she miraculously learned that the Saviour would be crucified on that wood. Solomon, knowing that this would be the end of the kingdom of the Jews, ordered the wood to be buried. However, it was then discovered in time to be the instrument of Christ's death.
Three centuries later, Emperor Constantine was told in a dream, that he will win a war if he fights in the name of the Cross. When this came to pass, his mother travelled to Jerusalem to recover the miraculous wood. Then, in 615 AD, it was stolen by the Persian King Chosroes, which lead to the Eastern Emperor Heraclius waging war on the Persian King. When he defeated Chosroes, he returned to Jerusalem with the Holy Wood.
Piero della Francesca's fresco cycle, executed roughly between 1452 and 1466, tells this whole story. Though it favours design over chronological story-telling, you can still pick out all the episodes in this dazzling work.
For art-lovers visiting Tuscany, it really is a must-see.
Piero della Francesca's fresco cycle, executed roughly between 1452 and 1466, tells this whole story. Though it favours design over chronological story-telling, you can still pick out all the episodes in this dazzling work.
For art-lovers visiting Tuscany, it really is a must-see.
Photo credits
Picture 2: Geobia / CC BY-SA 3.0
Picture 2: Geobia / CC BY-SA 3.0