Hotel Corys * * * *

From a high Tuscan hill, fifty miles from Florence between Arezzo and Perugia, rises the equally ancient and noble city of Cortona. Before the city lies a vast and beautiful plain, it is flanked on either side by distant hills and valleys while behind it are towering yet fruitful mountains. Cortona has a picturesque aspect, quite a bit longer than wide, turned toward the midday sun. The old centre of Cortona, saved from over-development by its medieval walls, is a lovely place to explore on foot with excellent restaurants and shops, museums, churches and a Medici fortress, required by the Medici family and built by Francesco Laparelli in 1549.  The city centre is an easy, pleasant walk of about a kilometre from the hotel. Cortona is a very active city; with many cultural and entertainment offerings throughout the year, not to mention all the possibilities for visiting the nearby artistic treasures of the Etruscan, mediaeval, Tuscan and Umbrian civilizations  The area was for a long time a stronghold of the Etruscans and has a wealth of archaeological and cultural remains to discover during your holiday. Here too you will find ample evidence of Roman, medieval and Renaissance influences.

Monuments to visit in Cortona:

Hermitage “Le Celle”
This building was wanted by San Francesco from Assisi when it arrived at Cortona in 1211. Frate Elia Coppi, San Bonaventura and Sant’Antonio da Padova lived there.

Church of Jesus and Diocesan Museum
The building dates back to 1498-1505. Some reconstruction were done with the direction of Vasari. It consists of two churches laid one upon the other: in the 18th century the upper one was used as a baptistery, the lower one was an oratory. Nowadays the two churches are the seat of the Diocesan Museum. Among the great number of treasures here preserved we mention the most important ones: the works by Luca Signorelli, Beato Angelico, Pietro Lorenzetti, Francesco Cappella.

The Sanctuary of Santa Margherita
On the cortonese hilltop is the sanctuary, right below the Medicean fortress. It was built up in 1297 near the pre-existent oratory consecrated to Saint Basilio, following Niccolo Pisano's plan. The church, after several readjustments during the times, was finally quite completely rebuilt in a Romanesque - gothic style by Presenti and Falcini from 1856, and completed by Castellucci in 1897. In the interior, on the high altar, in a silver urn is preserved the body of Saint Margherita (Laviano 1249 - Cortona 1297)

Church of "Santa Maria delle Grazie" at Calcinaio (1485- 1513)
Such a masterpiece, which is a work by Francesco di Giorgio Martini, may is the most important artistic monument in Cortona. It is deemed to be one of the most excellent works of the Renaissance; the church has a Latin cross plan, with a high octagonal dome.

Piazza della Repubblica and Palazzo Comunale
In the heart of Cortona there is Piazza della Repubblica, which shows a wonderful scenery. A side of the square is occupied by Palazzo Comunale (13th century - Tower 1509).