Cortona

Town in Tuscany, northern Italy, 22 km/13 mi southeast of Arezzo; population (1990) 22,600. It has a thriving business in antiques and crafts. One of Europe's oldest cities, it is encircled by walls built by the Etruscans, and has a medieval castle and an 11th-century cathedral.

There are many Etruscan and Roman remains. The castle, the highest point of the town, stands 651 m/2137 ft above sea level. The cathedral, restored in the 18th century, has paintings by Luca Signorelli, a native of the town, and there are other fine churches and ancient palaces.