Local guidal of Cortona: foundation legend

Cortona boasts of being founded by Dardano- son of Jupiter and Electra- who was later the founder of Troy. He was supposed to have been born in Cortona, according to what he writes Virgil (Aeneid, III, 167, VII, 209) and from there he would go to Asia. Following the legend a proverb says: Cortona, mother of Troy and grandmother of Rome. It is said that Dardano was fighting on a hill overlooking the Val di Chiana and was struck by a spear which struck off his helmet and not possible to find anymore. A fortune-teller said that Mother Earth had wrapped the helmet in her womb, because she wanted a turreted city to be erected where the helmet was lost, which would be as impenetrable and strong as Dardano’s helmet. So the hero built the walls of the new city, which had its center just where the helmet got lost. The city was named Corito, helmet, changing then to the name of Cortona.

Today, Tuscany is a major cultural center, with museums, galleries and churches full of great sculptures, paintings and frescoes and magnificent monuments built by the greatest masters of all time. Tuscany attracts millions of tourists each year. If you are interested in visiting Tuscany, we hope our guide will be useful in planning your visit and in learning more about Tuscany in general.
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