About

The Cathedral of Cortona, the Church of Santa Maria Assunta, has been built on the ruins of the oldest Church of the town. It has been designed by two important architects of the fifteenth century, Francesco Laparelli and Cristofanello. In the church some works of Pietro Berrettini known as Il Cortona are preserved, as well as the tombs of brothers Venuti, who founded the Etruscan Academy. In front of the cathedral you will find the Diocesan museum of the capitolo della cattedrale, which is divided into nine exhibition rooms. The museum collects some works coming from the churches of Cortona, such as the Annunciation by Fra Angelico, the Lamentation over the dead Christ by Luca Signorelli and the Shaped Cross by Pietro Lorenzetti, as well as the majestic Passerini Tapistry made for Pope Leo X. If you take the street behind the Diocesan museum, via Iannelli, you will see the oldest houses of the town, dating back to the fourteenth century and perfectly preserved. Their facades overhanging above the street and supported by wooden beams are very impressive. This street leads directly to the city walls, which surround Cortona for about 3 km. We can see the different phases of construction and restoration from the various materials used in the Etruscan, Roman and Medieval times. The western side of the walls is perfectly preserved and is characterized by the only example of gateway with two arches called Porta Bifora.