Comune di Foiano della Chiana
Municipal coat of arms
Country	Italy
Region	Tuscany
Province	Arezzo (AR)
Mayor	Franco Parigi (since June 2004)
Elevation	318 m (1,043 ft)
Area	40 km² (15 sq mi)
Population (as of December 31, 2004)
- Total	8,412
- Density	210/km² (544/sq mi)
Time zone	CET, UTC+1
Coordinates	43°15′N, 11°49′E
Gentilic	Foianesi
Dialing code	0575
Postal code	52045
Frazioni	Pozzo della Chiana, Renzino
Patron	St. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Tuscany (Toscana is a region in Italy. It has an area of 22990 km² and a population of about 3 In Italy, a Province (in Italian provincia) is an administrative division of intermediate level between Municipality ( Comune Arezzo ( Provincia di Arezzo) is the easternmost province in the Tuscany region of Italy. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Events 406 – Vandals, Alans and Suebians cross the Rhine, beginning an invasion of Gallia. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Central European Time ( CET) is one of the names of the Time zone that is 1 hour ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. UTC+1 is used in the following locations Central European Time West Africa Time Western European Summer Time A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system. A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a People or the inhabitants of a place Here are a list of area codes in Italy. All numbers here begin with the country code (0039 A frazione, in Italy, is the name given in administrative law to a type of territorial subdivision of a Comune; for other Administrative Martin
- Day	November 11
Website: www.comune.foiano.ar.it

Foiano della Chiana is a small agricultural town in eastern Tuscany, in the province of Arezzo, between the cities of Sinalunga and Cortona. Events 308 - The Congress of Carnuntum: Attempting to keep peace within the Roman Empire, the leaders of the Tetrarchy declare Tuscany (Toscana is a region in Italy. It has an area of 22990 km² and a population of about 3 Arezzo ( Provincia di Arezzo) is the easternmost province in the Tuscany region of Italy. Sinalunga is a town and commune in the Province of Siena, in the Tuscany region of Italy. Cortona is a town and comune in the Province of Arezzo, in Tuscany, Italy. It is well known for its annual carnival. Carnival is a festival season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February and March

History

Foiano della Chiana

Foiano's name, accordin to a legend, derives from the god Janus who, when he went up the Tiber River and settled in the shadow of a hill, called it Flos Janus. Also, a parchment dating back to 842 CE was found in which Lothar I mentions the Roman Campus Fugianus. Lothair I ( German: Lothar, French: Lothaire, Italian: Lotario) (795 &ndash 29 September 855)

In 1383, control of Foiano passed from Arezzo to Florence and the inhabitants built fortified walls around the town. Florence ( Italian: Firenze Florentia and Fiorenza) is the Capital City of the Italian region of Tuscany In 1387 the city became a free commune and the first communal statute was drafted. Communes in Europe in the Middle Ages were sworn allegiances of mutual defense (both physical defense and of traditional freedoms among community members of a town or city After the siege of the Aragonese, Foiano fell back in to Florentine control and the new "heart shaped" town walls were built in 1480.

Foiano was the best defense point in the Valdichiana because it used to be surrounded on three sides by marshland. In order to access the town, the inhabitants and visitors would have to arrive by boat where it was marshy, otherwise by land into the town. The marshland existed where the Chiana river now flows. The Castle of Foiano was built on the southern side of the city and changed hands many times according to who ruled the land. Leonardo da Vinci arrived in Foiano in 1502 and began to draw up plans for the draining of the Valdichiana and also the famous map of Valdichiana. Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci ( April 15 1452 – May 2 1519 was an Italian Polymath, having been a scientist Mathematician, Engineer In 1525, Foiano was the first commune to give up its marshlands to the Medici for draining. It took three centuries to drain the Val di Chiana, continuing during the Lorena rule. Only when, with the fall of Siena in 1554, all the territory passed under the dominion of the Medici, a coordinated and complete plan of reclamation could be prepared. Siena is a city in Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Siena. Figures like Leonardo da Vinci, Antonio da Sangallo the Younger, Baldassarre Peruzzi and Vignola were involved in the work. Antonio da Sangallo the Younger, born Antonio Cordiani ( April 12, 1484 - August 3, 1546) was an Italian architect active Baldassare Tommaso Peruzzi ( 7 March, 1481 &mdash 6 January, 1537) was an Italian Architect and painter, born in a small Giacomo (or Jacopo) Barozzi (or Barocchio) da Vignola, often simply called Vignola ( October 1 1507 - July

In 1789, Napoleon’s troops came through Tuscany, but the French Revolution had no influence on Foiano, which enjoyed their pre-existing protection under Florence. Year 1789 ( MDCCLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Napoleon Bonaparte (15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821 was a French military and political leader who had a significant impact on the History of Europe. In 1862, Foiano took on the name Foiano della Chiana and it was one of the first municipalities to elect a town council by popular majority. Year 1862 was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting on Monday

Main sights

Inside the walled city, there are art and architectural works by Andrea della Robbia and other notable artists of the Renaissance. Andrea della Robbia ( October 24 1435 - August 4 1525) was an Italian Renaissance sculptor especially in Ceramics He was The Renaissance (from French Renaissance, meaning "rebirth" Italian: Rinascimento, from re- "again" and nascere

Inside the church of San Michele Arcangelo, on the second south altar, a Madonna of the Rosary by Lorenzo Lippi and on the third north altar, and enameled terracotta of the Ascension by della Robbia and son Giovanni around 1495-1500. Lorenzo Lippi (1606 - 1664 was an Italian painter and Poet. Born in Florence, he studied painting under Matteo Rosselli.

The Corso Vittorio Emanuele leads to the Piazza della Collegiata where, inside the Collegiata itself, is the Madonna della Cintola done in 1502 by Andrea della Robbia, and Coronation of the Virgin by the Luca Signorelli school. Luca Signorelli (c 1445 - October 16, 1523) was an Italian Renaissance painter who was noted in particular for his ability as a draughtsman

The church of Santa Maria della Fraternità houses four paintings by Giovanni Camillo Sagrestani and the statue of Madonna and Child by Andrea della Robbia (around 1460), based on a model by his uncle Luca. Giovanni Camillo Sagrestani (1660-1731 was an Italian painter of the Baroque era in Florence. Luca della Robbia (1400-1482 was an Italian sculptor from Florence, noted for his Terracotta roundels

Architectural works of Foiano include the 14th century Palazzo Pretorio along one side of Piazza Cavour, and the Palazzo delle Logge on the other, built between the 16th and 17th centuries. The Palazzo delle Logge was the residence of Ferdinando II de Medici and the Municipal Historic Archive and the Library are now housed inside, with some of the halls used for exhibitions. Ferdinando II de' Medici Grand Duke of Tuscany ( 14 July 1610 &ndash 23 May 1670) ruled as Grand Duke of Tuscany from 1621 to 1670 The Civic Tower has been recently restored, preserving its original proportions and façade. The Garibaldi Theatre which used to be called Monte Pio in 1570 and the Palazzo Neri-Serneri are also found within the old town. Also, the grain loggias bearing the Medici arms are a good example of Foiano’s long history. Close to the town is located the small octagonal temple of Santo Stefano della Vittoria, built by Giorgio Vasari for Duke Cosimo I and dedicated to Cosimo's victory in the battle of Scannagallo. The Battle of Marciano (also known as the Battle of Scannagallo) occurred in the countryside of Marciano della Chiana, near Arezzo, Tuscany

One of the massive, brightly colored floats from the 2006 Carnivale

Foiano Carnival

The oldest carnival in Italy started in Foiano in 1539. This carnival takes all year to prepare for, and it’s as important to Foiano as the Palio is to Siena. The four districts of the town: Bombolo, Azzurri, Rustici, and Nottambuli were formed during the fascist era and to this day, compete for the victory of the best float. Initially, the floats were town carriages and carri matti where lupine, chestnuts and salt cod would be thrown out to the crowd as a treat. A float is a decorated platform either built on a Vehicle or towed behind one which is a component of many festive Parades such as the Maltese Carnival The floats are now made of papier-mâché and they have allegorical or political themes, sometimes featuring political events and people, films, and popular culture. Papier-mâché ( French for 'chewed-up paper' because of its appearance sometimes called paper-mâché, is a construction material that consists of pieces of The festival is derived from medieval propitiatory rituals meant to appease the townspeople and create a joyous atmosphere to bring in the new year. An effigy of Giocondo, King of the Carnival is made from straw and rags, and is burned in the main square as a form of collective purification for the people of Foiano. Before the burning, a testament of the year’s events is read aloud like an epilogue for the past year and a prologue to the new starting year.

Demographic evolution

External links

• Foiano della Chiana (in Italian);
• Carnival of Foiano (in Italian). Italian ( or lingua italiana) is a Romance language spoken by about 63 million people as a First language, primarily in Italy.