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The surroundings of Cortona are rich in history, art and magic. Hermitage Le Celle cannot be missed. It was built by Saint Francis for a small community of Franciscan friars and was restored by Brother Elias. The area is characterized by small houses of hermits, from which derives the name celle. In this place of peace and rest, where a few capuchin friars still live, you can visit saint Francis' cell, which has been kept intact after his death in 1226. Not far from this hermitage we find the Church of Santa Maria Nuova, designed by Vasari and Cristofanello in the sixteenth century. This beautiful church with Greek cross plan has three identical facades and an imposing dome, which was influenced by the Baroque style. About 10 km far from Cortona you cannot miss to visit the Abbey of Farneta of the Benedictine monks, dating back to the eighth century. The most beautiful part of the abbey is its crypt, which is sustained by magnificent Roman columns and capitals. Near the border with Umbria we find other historical and artistic jewels, like the Roman Villa of Ossaia dating back to the late Republican and Imperial period. In the villa of about 1000 sq. m. archaeologists found beautiful black and white and polychrome geometrical mosaics, as well as marbles and funerary inscriptions. A few km away from the Roman Villa it is worth visiting the Church of San Michele Arcangelo in Metelliano, built in the seventh century by the Lombards and renovated around the eleventh century in Pre-Romanic and Byzantine style. The nave and the aisles are alternated by big pillars that make the architecture very harmonious, therefore the church has been declared national monument in 1907. Finally we cannot forget the Fortress of Pierle of the thirteenth century, built by the Casali family and sold to the Florentine Republic together with the town of Cortona in the fifteenth century. Today only two of the four towers are still visible, the building is fairly ruined but its fascination has not ceased as centuries have gone by.