A Serendipitous Discovery in Foiano della Chiana

---

Hello dear friends,

In these days, I have been a bit absent because I haven't been feeling well. You may have understood that my health is a bit precarious, and I often get sick. I can't wait for summer to arrive. I have also been very busy with work, which has not allowed me the opportunity to write here. However, today I want to share a place I discovered recently, almost by accident. It's called Foiano della Chiana, and it is located in the province of Arezzo.

It's not a small town, as it has almost 10,000 inhabitants. Fortunately, it doesn't suffer from depopulation issues. As usual, with a few hours to spare, I took a stroll through the streets of this town and made a great artistic discovery. In fact, Foiano della Chiana is the hometown of the famous Della Robbia family.

This family became famous not only in Tuscany but also worldwide for specializing in the technique of polychrome terracotta. You have probably seen works by Della Robbia in Florence and throughout Tuscany. They are truly beautiful and unique. I must admit, somewhat ignorantly, that I didn't realize this was the town of such an important family.

I had always heard of this town because garlic is cultivated here, becoming an essential product for the agriculture of this area. While strolling through the cobbled streets of the village, I noticed the still-existing entrance gates to the village. The French built the defensive walls that protected the village. I then visited the Collegiate Church of Santi Martino and Leonardo, a simple yet beautiful church adorned with Della Robbia decorations.

Continuing my walk through the village, I noticed paintings or rather artworks by various artists displayed along the streets. I later found out that they were part of an outdoor exhibition. They certainly added to the charm of this small village. Moreover, in the main square, there were ongoing film shoots, possibly for a TV commercial. I didn't fully understand, but it was clear from the confetti on the ground that the day before, there had been the carnival, said to be one of the oldest in Tuscany dating back to 1539.

During my walk, I also came across another church that I visited, finding it beautiful and refined. Here, too, there were several works by Della Robbia, but what impressed me the most was the very ancient organ and its exquisite decoration.

I must say that Foiano della Chiana was a truly pleasant discovery. Such casual discoveries often hide various works of art, and for an art lover like me, it significantly improved my day. Certainly, one of the most positive aspects of my job is the constant travel and never being fixed in one place. I recommend you also explore this place because here you can spend a pleasant half-day.

I hope my discovery was interesting. Thank you for reading the post, and I'll see you next time, wishing you all a good day.