Cortona
[key], town, Tuscany, central Italy. It is an agricultural and tourist
center. One of the 12 important Etruscan cities, Cortona later (310
b.c.) united with Rome. The town passed to Florence in the
early 15th cent. Landmarks include the Romanesque cathedral (remodeled
during the Renaissance), the Palazzo Pretorio (13th cent.), and the Church
of San Francesco (begun 1245). The Diocesan Museum contains paintings by
Luca Signorelli (who
was born in Cortona), Fra Angelico, and others.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2024, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: Italian Political Geography
