The Medicean fortress called Girifalco is the building that overlooks the city of Cortona, because it is placed on the top of the hill. It was built supposedly in sixth or fifth century AD. The shape of the building is a trapezoid, and it has got four large bastions. The first historical references of the castle in Cortona, were written in 1258. Unfortunately, the fortress was raided many times during the years, especially during the war against Arezzo. In 1411 together with all the city, were sold to the Republic of Florence, and they started the restoration from 1527. The first thing they did is to connect the fortress with the urban walls. In 1766 it was given unarmed to the city of Cortona, and it was used as the city jail. Then during the Second World War, it was used as a refuge for 250 daughters of Italian abroad and as strategic place both for allied troops and German soldiers. In 1959 and 1969 the fortress has gone through many restorations that make it more accessible to the visitors. In 2010 one bastion of the fortress, called Santa Maria Nuova, was recovered and it was installed also a lift to improve the accessibility and allow a new used of the building, and to make it suitable for everyone. Nowadays the fortress hosts temporary exhibitions. From the top of the main tower of the fortress, you can enjoy a breathtaking view of the city of Cortona and the entire Valdichiana, and from here you can see a spectacular and unforgettable sunset. 
Below you can find the direct link to the website, where you can find all the useful informations.

Villa Passerini is located in Pergo, a town nearby Cortona. The villa was built in seventeenth century, but during the next centuries has gone through many changings and restorations, especially during the 1800. The villa takes its names from the family of the cardinal Silvio Passerini, one of the most important personalities of Cortona. The outside of the villa has got a wide garden, fenced with a boundary stone wall. There are also many terraces and they are crossed by some avenues. The avenues take to a wood where once they used to set the nets to hunt the birds. On the side of the villa there are a beautriful garden with many varieties of flowers. Among the architectural elements there is one that is peculiar: the little neoclassical temple called “poledraia”, that once was used to place the citrus fruits during the cold season and it was decorated with mosaics on the façade and interior frescos where are represented some military scenes of the Napoleonic army. In front of the villa there is on the lawn a beautiful water basin, that was built in 1733, and it has got many decorations like a small bridge, a little island and some stone arches. The villa nowadays is not visitable, and it is used as place for wedding celebrations.

Palazzo Passerini, also known as Palazzo del Capitano del Popolo (Palace of the Captain of People), is one of the most important palaces that rises on the main square of Cortona, Piazza della Repubblica. The palace dates back to 1250, it was built as the headquarter of a new judge, the so-called Captain of People, who had to defend the rights of the people against the violences of the tycoons. The building originally was high and it was provided of its own bells and tower, higher than the one on the clock tower of the Municipal Palace. In 1500 due to the visit to Cortona of the pope Leone X, the palace was profoundly renewed by the cardinal Silvio Passerini. Palazzo Passerini was completely restored and it were added other sides, that makes the building a real Renaissance palace. The façade was frescoed, and there was also a big terrace with many coloured stained-glass windows. The original medieval architecture is remained on the side façade of the palace, where you can see many original little windows and the original features of the tower- palace. A little curiosity: Palazzo Passerini hosts also our office on the ground floor, so we are very lucky to live directly this architectural and historical beauty every day!

Palazzo Casali is one of the most important and beautiful palaces in the city centre of Cortona, between Palazzo Comunale and the Theatre. There is another name with which is famous, that is Pretorian Palace, because, during the Middle Age, it hosted the Florentine commissioners. It was built by the Casali family in thirteenth century, and it was their official home when they came to Cortona. there are many coats of arms, still visible, that indicate the headquarter of the Florentine commissioners. If we take a look at the façade of the palace, we can see a sixteenth century style, due to many restorations made in this period. Inside Palazzo Casali today there is the Museum of the Etruscan Academy of Cortona in the two underground floors, where you can find the Etruscan and Roman findings of the area. If you go upstairs on the first floor, there are the Historical Archive, the municipal Library and the Etruscan Academy. Many cultural events of the city take place in this palace, especially in the beautiful Medicean room of the palace. Palazzo Casali has got the same opening hours of the MAEC. If you want to know their opening hours, you can visit their website.

Placed on the main square of Cortona, Piazza della Repubblica, there is one of the most famous palaces in Cortona, that you could see in many pictures of the city: the Town Hall palace with the clock tower. The palace dates back to the twelfth century, and it was built on the remains of a Roman Forum. They wanted to build a new palace dedicated to the new municipal institutions. The Town Hall palace is one of the artistic and historical witness that show the greatness of Cortona during the medieval period. Its original structure has got a Romanic style, and it had already a stair from which  you could reach the main door, that you can still see it nowadays if you enter from Piazza della Repubblica. In the sixteenth century was changed and expanded, adding on the left side a new visible side from Via Roma, and an arch that overlooks the street. In addition to that, the famous clock tower was also built in that period, and it is still nowadays what makes the building peculiar. Once, the clock tower was used to mark the passing hours, with the sound of the bell on the top of the tower. Unfortunately, for safety problems, nowadays the bell is not ringing. The works to build the palace started after the municipal autonomy of Cortona, and during the centuries, it was restored with many other elements. The aspect that we can see today is a restoration made in 1896. The architect who renovated the Town Hall palace, was the same that renewed also the church of Santa Margherita. Inside the palace, there is one room that stands out from all the rooms, that is the Council Hall. In this room there are many wall paintings, and an amazing stone fireplace, made by Cristofanello, that dates back to the sixteenth century.