photos and tips- Cortona Italy- Tuscany
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Cortona's historical roots-- and the bottom stones of some of its walls-- date back to the time of the Etruscans, who had a heyday centuries before the birth of Christ, and also founded a little town called Rome.
Cortona had a heyday too, and was a substantial comune until the King of Naples captured it in 1490 and sold it to Florence, condemning Cortona to neglect and a long decline.
So let's give thanks to the King of Naples and his twist of history: precisely because Firenze (Florence) neglected Cortona, the town remains a medieval gem today-- whereas in powerhouse Firenze, the beautiful old sections are now surrounded by a metropolis; and tourists must have nerves of steel to drive a vehicle.
*photo (c) Teresa Plowright
