San Giovanni Valdarno
Encyclopedia
San Giovanni Valdarno is a town and comune
in the province of Arezzo
, Tuscany
, central Italy
, located in the valley of the Arno River. It was originally called Castel S. Giovanni.
Wednesday October 5, 2011 the body of Allison Owens, 23, was found in this town, three days after she disappeared while out jogging. she was working as a tour guide in Italy, is thought to have been struck by a vehicle as she ran by the side of a road.
, the town was founded in 1296 by the Republic of Florence
. The design of the historic center is based on the organization of Roman cities with a large central piazza from which two main roads run perpendicular to each other. From these two main roads run other secondary streets.
The town is believed to be the birthplace of the early Renaissance painter Masaccio
.
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Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
in the province of Arezzo
Province of Arezzo
The Province of Arezzo or Arretium is the easternmost province in the Tuscany region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Arezzo.It has an area of 3,232 km², and a total population of 323,288 in 39 comuni . At June 30, 2005, the main comuni by population are:- External links :...
, Tuscany
Tuscany
Tuscany is a region in Italy. It has an area of about 23,000 square kilometres and a population of about 3.75 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence ....
, central Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, located in the valley of the Arno River. It was originally called Castel S. Giovanni.
Wednesday October 5, 2011 the body of Allison Owens, 23, was found in this town, three days after she disappeared while out jogging. she was working as a tour guide in Italy, is thought to have been struck by a vehicle as she ran by the side of a road.
History
According to the Italian medieval historian Giovanni VillaniGiovanni Villani
Giovanni Villani was an Italian banker, official, diplomat and chronicler from Florence who wrote the Nuova Cronica on the history of Florence. He was a leading statesman of Florence but later gained an unsavory reputation and served time in prison as a result of the bankruptcy of a trading and...
, the town was founded in 1296 by the Republic of Florence
Republic of Florence
The Republic of Florence , or the Florentine Republic, was a city-state that was centered on the city of Florence, located in modern Tuscany, Italy. The republic was founded in 1115, when the Florentine people rebelled against the Margraviate of Tuscany upon Margravine Matilda's death. The...
. The design of the historic center is based on the organization of Roman cities with a large central piazza from which two main roads run perpendicular to each other. From these two main roads run other secondary streets.
The town is believed to be the birthplace of the early Renaissance painter Masaccio
Masaccio
Masaccio , born Tommaso di Ser Giovanni di Simone, was the first great painter of the Quattrocento period of the Italian Renaissance. According to Vasari, Masaccio was the best painter of his generation because of his skill at recreating lifelike figures and movements as well as a convincing sense...
.
Main sights
- Palazzo Pretorio or Palazzo d'Arnolfo (13th century)
- Convent of San Francesco a Montecarlo. It houses an Incoronation of the Virgin by Neri di BicciNeri di BicciNeri di Bicci was an Italian painter of the Renaissance. A prolific painter of mainly religious themes, he was active mainly in Florence and in the medium of tempera. His father was Bicci di Lorenzo. His grandfather, Lorenzo di Bicci was also a painter in Florence, a pupil of Spinello...
(1472-1475) - Basilica of Santa Maria delle Grazie (built in 1484, but with a 19th century Neoclassical façade). Its museum houses Beato Angelico's AnnunciationAnnunciation of San Giovanni ValdarnoThe Annunciation of San Giovanni Valdarno is a painting by Fra Angelico, painted in 1430 to 1432 in tempera on panel. It measures 195 cm by 158 cm. It was looted from Italy during the Second World War by the Germans and returned to the country via the work of Rodolfo Siviero...
. - Church of San Lorenzo (early 14th century)
Twin towns
Mahbes, Western Sahara CorningCorning (city), New York
Corning is a city in Steuben County, New York, United States, on the Chemung River. The population was 10,842 at the 2000 census. It is named for Erastus Corning, an Albany financier and railroad executive who was an investor in the company that developed the community.- Overview :The city of...
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