THE COASTAL AND HILLTOP

TOWNS OF LE MARCHE

Always changing the coastal landscape of the Marche appears,in its shapes and colours, from Gabicce Mare to San Benedettodel Tronto, and so able to amaze it is, with its white cliffs drop-ping into the blue of the Adriatic Sea, with the deep green of thesmooth hills dotted with old villages, and the ochre of the solong sandy shores. Likewise, in synch with the variety of the landscape, the urbanstructure of those many cities overlooking the sea changes aswell: it is not about their being more or less ancient, since herehistory lives everywhere and they all share Greek, Roman,Picene or early-medieval origins, but it is a different distribu-tion of spaces that favoured, territory permitting, a double func-tion, the defence and the trade one. So it may happen to spot out in many villages of the coast an“upper village”, well protected by the walls of a castle high upon a hill and first living settlement, and the “seacoast”, the flatarea lying along the shore, only later used for living and com-mercial purpose. This kind of composition pattern is typical of the medieval“castra” of Gabicce Monte (the ancient “CastellumLigabitii”), Casteldimezzo and Fiorenzuola di Focara, in theprovince of Pesaro-Urbino, as well as those of Falconara Alta,north of Ancona and, south, of Sirolo and Numana, ancientwalled cities, whose origins are lost in the mists of time; differ-ent are Recanati, Potenza Picena and Sant’Elpidio a Mare,important towns, fairly far from the sea, whose seacoasts, firstsimple coast moorings, then began the major towns of PortoRecanati, Porto Potenza Picena and Porto Sant’Elpidio.Emblematic is Civitanova Alta, with its suggestive walled vil-lage, dominating the sea, while the nearby Porto San Giorgio,the ancient “Navale Firmanorum”, has an upstream part, theCastello quarter and the Fortress and, past the highway, the sea-coast; in the nearby stands the splendid Torre di Palme castle,clinging on a rock dropping into the sea. Then here are othercities of the Piceno area: Cupra Marittima and Marano,Grottammare and Grottammare Alta, then again SanBenedetto del Tronto with its observation deck, where theTower of Gualtieri stands over.Easy to guess the reasons behind this kind of urban develop-ment, in a land, as the coast of the Marche, that for ages hasbeen the scene of pirates’ forays: Turks, Saracens, Uscocchi,Narentani and Barbary corsairs.Fancy their presence among the fami-lies on the coast cities was so

looming that, in the saying of the Rosary,besides the request for protection “fromthe evil”, they added the one from “theMoor landing on the seacoast”.In order to get defended against suchdreadful enemies, in the 18th century theseacoast of the Marche was providedwith around 60 look-out towers, oneevery 3 km, able to raise the alarm withthe smoke in daylight and at night bythe fire, (to have an idea of the speed inthe delivery of messages, think that thetime to pick out a sighting from Anconato Venice was about three hours). Whatremains of such a complex andbranched communication system, is theTower of Montignano, (notice thetoponym “mons ignis”, meaning themountain of fire) south of Senigallia,then the Tower of Portonovo, in thehomonymous bay south of Ancona and

the so called Tower Guelfa, at themouth of the river Tronto in Portod’Ascoli; part of the integratedcompound were also the Tower ofS. Andrea in Cupra Marittima, theCastle Tower in Grottammare andthe Tower of Gualtieri in SanBenedetto del Tronto. No morepirates nowadays, but their pres-ence is easy to be felt, wanderingaround those alleys and palaces ofthe old upper villages above thesea, as silent spectators of a pageof history still able to evoke vividsuggestions and unforgettableemotions.

UPPER VILLAGES ABOVE THE SEA

The historical roots of this suggestive place are all linked to the old village ofGabicce Monte, rising at 150 m above sea level, and whose original nameCastrum Ligabicij o Ligabitii seems to derive from the Lord Ligabitio, the feuda-tory controlling its lots at the end of the 10th century. The name Gabicce could betraced back to the activity once carried out by the dwellers, mainly devoted to agri-culture and breeding: from here comes “legabecchi”, billygoats breeders.In 909 already, it is attested the existence of a parish community around theChurch of S. Ermete, still now at the city gates. To the same age should date backthe city walls, since in a papal bull dated 998, the place is called CastellumLigabitii.

Altitude: 11/144 m a.s.l.

Inhabitants: 5.356

GABICCE MONTEGABICCE MARE“… here in our land we have countless kinds of legumes and wheat,flowers, violets and thousands of fragrant fruits; plenty of popularand healing herbs, as many as you can number. Here around in ourvillages, there are places whose beauty, fertility, clearness andrichness are equal to the Averno and the Benaco…”

Veronica Coradella Countess of the Gabizze (1549)

with a bell tower: unfortunately fromthe 40s on, everything has got lost.The village economy, traditionallybased on agriculture (corn, forage andvines above all) and fishing, underwenta radical change in those years beforeWorld War II when, seen the consider-able increase of the population, theydecide in favour of the flat area whereGabicce Mare then developed.Despite the moving of the Town Hallto Gabicce Mare in 1942, GabicceMonte up to today, still holds the folkmemory in itself.You can start sightseeing, from thePiazza dedicated to Valbruna, the leg-endary town that all along inhabitantshave believed as sunken off the naturalBay of Vallugola, where today rises anold nice marina, already operating atthe time of the Greek coasting.Mysterious events, stirring stories havelivened up the collective imaginationabout the lost city, whose myth ofAtlantis of the Adriatic was strength-ened by the archaeological finds acci-dentally discovered into the fishingnets.Do not miss the Church of S. Ermete,an ancient the Madonna of the Milkand a valuable wooden Crucifix.Gabicce is also home of the excellentceramist Girolamo Lanfranco, operat-ing in Pesaro together with his sonGiacomo from 1530 to 1590, so bound

to the land to sign as “MastroGirolamo delle Gabicce”. Today Gabicce Mare is one of themost popular tourist attractions inMarche region, with more than 100hotels.Widely known for its sandy shore, itsexcellent fish restaurants and itscolourful nightlife, it shows a sugges-tive scenic road stretching along thewindy coast, from where you canenjoy a wonderful glimpse in a sheerdrop onto the sea.Nature lovers will find an uncontami-nated setting, so evocative, as theMonte S. Bartolo, under the protectionof the homonymous Regional Park,offering amazing routes both for thosekeen on hiking and mountain bike,along fascinating ways so rich inbreathtaking views. For yachtsmen andsee lovers as well, it is recommendedthe tiny and cosy marina of theVallugola Bay, with its beautiful beachwatched over by a cape.Thanks to the quality of life and thecare for the nature conservancy,Gabicce Mare, more times down theyears, has deserved the Blue Flag ofEurope, an important award intendedto those places favouring the environ-ment quality and able to deliver quali-fied facilities to the visitor.

EVENTS

Festival of the Park ofS. Bartolo, end of May;National painting contest,end of June; Martedìdell’arte, June to September;La vetrina di Gabicce Monte,all Sundays from June to theend of august.All summer long, severalguided tours by sea in theRegional Park of Monte SanBartolo are arranged.

www.gabiccemare.comCentro IAT iat.gabicce@regione.marche.itTel. +39 0541 954424Fax +39 0541 953500Sviluppo Marittimo di BaiaVallugolaTel. +39 0541 967918/958134www.vallugola.comvallugola@vallugola.com

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Down the centuries, in the area with itscastle, become City at the beginning ofthe 13th century, the domination fol-lowed domination, starting from theArchbishop of Ravenna then theMalatesta, the Sforza, the Montefeltroand Della Rovere families, and thePapal State. Strictly linked to Pesarountil 1539, the Castle was then grantedas fiefdom to Orazio Floridi of Fano.Many have tried to locate traces of theCastle of Gabicce, discovering someparts of the walls and its gate topped

GRADARAThe Malatesta, the Sforza and the Della Rovere families were the Lords of thisancient settlement, 3 km far from the sea, set all within mighty walls withembattled towers at intervals. In the very heart of the village stands out theRocca, ideal scene, according to the tradition, for that fatal kiss between Paoloand Francesca, so told in 5th canto of Dante’s Inferno.

HILLY VILLAGES “TOWARDS” THE SEA

High wind and rough sea were the marks of these small villages, just a few kmfrom Pesaro, high up in a steep rock dropping sheer into the sea, where it took“vows and prayers” to escape the tempests.These old villages, together with the nearby splendid Gradara with its mightywalls and Granarola, represent the four castles built, between the 10th and the 13th

century, in order to create an organic system of defence and control of the Siligatapass, important for the defence of Pesaro, beautiful coastal town often awardedthe Blue Flag of Europe. Casteldimezzo, once called Gaiola, Galliola andGazoleto, since the 14th century has taken the current name, suggesting the loca-tion in-between Gabicce and Fiorenzuola. Thanks to its easily defensible positionand to the presence of the nearby Port of Vallugola, the castle was used as resi-dence for “rusticale dimora” (rural relief), by the Archbishops of Ravenna and asestablished see of the Viscount, their representative.

Altitude of Casteldimezzo: 197 m a.s.l.

Altitude of Fiorenzuola di Focara: 177 m a.s.l.

CASTELDIMEZZOFIORENZUOLA DI FOCARA(PESARO)“… poi farà sì ch’al vento di Focaranon sarà lor mestier voto né preco…”

Dante Alighieri, Divina Commedia, Inferno, Canto XXVIII, vv. 89-90

NOVILARA and CANDELARA (Pesaro)Baldassarre Castiglione, the author of “Il Cortegiano”, appointed Lord of theCastle of Novilara, in 1513 by the Duke Francesco Maria I Della Rovere, usedthese words to describe the area around his castle “bonissimo aere, bonissimavista da terra e da mare… fruttifero al possible” (“excellent area, excellent seaand land view… very fructiferous”). Turning into the Strada dei Colli inPesaro and past the historic village of Trebbiantico, you soon reach Novilarawhere taking a walk along the walls, you can still enjoy the open view (oncerich in woods and waters) that astonished the great man of letters. The defenceof the place was assured by its position on top of the hill, optimal to catch sightof any boat trying to sail up to the Fosso Sejore, whose landing, now totallyfilled in, was navigable almost up to the village. The fame of the village islinked to the finds of the so called “civilization novilarese” (8th-6th centuryb.C.) dug up in a necropolis of the Piceno and now shown in the MuseumOliveriano in Pesaro. Somewhere around, high up in a hill and set within thewalls, rises Candelara, in whose castle the Emperor Federico Barbarossa tookrefuge in 1176 after the setback of Legnano; its later history is then linked tothe Malatesta Family. Highly interesting is the whole defensive system (gate,walling, pieces of ordnance) of which the house-walls on the left of the frontare still intact, including also a kiln and a clock with its original clockwork.Worth a visit is the tiny Church of S. Giovanni and the old Pieve and theGothic Church of S. Maria of the Arzilla.

MONDOLFO and MAROTTAThe historic hilly village of Mondolfo with its bathing resort Marotta, repre-sents a typical example of “two in one”, sign of the synthesis and mix of twocultures, the land and the sea one. Amazing view point onto the sea, the oldvillage keeps the imposing Church of S. Agostino with its cloister, theRomanesque Church of S. Gervasio and the Sanctuary of the Madonna delleGrotte, swathed in the green pinewood. In the renowned bathing resort ofMarotta still so alive is the devotion to the local traditions, respecting thehabits of the sea life, as for example, the fishing with the “tratta”, still carriedon with devotion and pride.

In 1356, it went to the Malatesta fam-ily and then became property of theSforza and Della Rovere families.Today, just few traces are left of theancient mediaeval walls. Inside theChurch dedicated to the SaintsApollinare and Cristoforo, dated backto the year One Thousand, but laterrebuilt (the dedication recalls thoseawayback origins from Ravenna)stands a Crucifix dated 15th century,attributed to the Venetian AntonioBonvesin and Jacobello del Fiore, dis-covered on the seashore, inside a largewooden case. The tradition wants it tobe the core of a mysterious event: itwas the year 1517 and as many as7,000 “transmontane” enemies, in thepay of Lorenzo di Piero de Medici,beaten by Francesco Maria I DellaRovere, threateningly closed onCastrum Medi walls; but the frighten-ing and expected looting of the citywas escaped, thanks to the mercygranted to the terrified dwellers by the

Crucifix “from the sea”. Curious isalso the story about the finding of theprecious artefact: Casteldimezzodwellers and those of the nearbyFiorenzuola, sighted a case lying onthe shore at the foot of the cape andended up scuffling and getting a beat-ing to get hold of it. In the meanwhilethe oxen carrying the load, tired of thelong fight, decided to make for theway to Casteldimezzo, leaving themall dumbfounded. Moving along the Panoramica road,whose gentle hairpin bends follow thesmoothness of the hill and of thecoastline overhanging in the AdriaticSea, within a wonderful environmentprotected by the Regional NaturalPark of Monte San Bartolo, you gopast the picturesque “Picco del diavo-lo” (Peak of the Devil), dangling inspace, and soon you reach Fiorenzuoladi Focara, the old Castrum Florentiithat, harshly disputed by the Churchesof Ravenna and Pesaro, ended up

being taken over by City of Pesaro,definitively in the 13th century.More times damaged by earthquakes,of the castle are just left the front gate,the belfry and the suggestive ruins ofthe Church of S. Andrea (the belltower and the parsonage).Past the gate, the narrow streets of thevillage draw concentric semicirclesleading to the sheer space over thecliff to then go up again towards theold church.Many of the old mediaeval houseshave survived up to nowadays, but justas much were swallowed by the sea,which keeps on wearing away the bot-tom of the rock. The village, original-ly named just Fiorenzuola, in 1889took the name of “Focara”, place-name due to the fires lighted to helpsailors to locate the position of thecape, well known since the old times,for its headwinds or for the presenceof “fornacelle” (small kilns), wherethey fired bricks and earthenware.

EVENTS

Gastronomy week-ends,spring and fall;Panorami di cultura,all year long;Itinerari Extravaganti,April-June September-November;International New FilmFestival, June; Burattini Opera Festival, July;Mare Magnum, July;Metti una sera a… VillaCaprile, July;En attendant Rossini,July- August;Rossini Opera Festival,July- August;Sipario d’estate, July- August;National Drama Festival,September-October.

www.comune.pesaro.ps.itCentro IAT iat.pesaro@regione.marche.itTel. +39 0721 69341Fax +39 0721 30462

Regional Natural Park of

Monte San BartoloTel. +39 0721 400858Fax +39 0721 408520www.parcosanbartolo.it ;parcosanbartolo@provincia.ps.it

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HILLY VILLAGES “TOWARDS” THE SEA

Gradara (PU) Novilara, Pesaro

Candelara, Pesaro

Gabicce Mare (PU)

Fiorenzuola di Focara, Pesaro

Falconara Alta, the original core of Falconara Marittima, rises at about 2 kminland, with a panoramic position on the Valley of the Esino and the Adriatic Sea.The place was a Roman colony, as proved by the large underground cistern of the1st century b.C., kept underground in a place called Il Tesoro.Around the year One thousand, it is proved the presence of a small rural commu-nity, subject to a Lord and settled according to the court economy rules. Accordingto the tradition, founders of the castle were the Cortesi Family, descendant of aGermanic “condottiere” arrived in Italy with Belisario in the 6th century, at thetime of the wars between the Byzantines and the Goths, who conquered severallands around Ancona, and later built the castles of Varano and Sirolo as well (andmaybe also the Churches of S. Pietro and S. Maria of Portonovo on the ConeroMountain). In 1353 “The Big Company of Fra’ Moriale”, so well known for its fierce, plun-dered the city; then the annexation to Ancona.

Altitude: 5/118 m a.s.l.

Inhabitants: 28.349

FALCONARA ALTAFALCONARA MARITTIMA“… it is a vast and beautiful castle, its name coming from how theycall it, Falcone Mountain…”

Bartolomeo Alfeo, Gli annali anconetani

side and in the interior equipped asmansion, as the adding of the Vanvitelliportal with a drawbridge and sentryboxes on the southern curtain or theconstruction of the family chapel in thebailey. Today Falconara Marittima is a mod-ern industrial and sea resort, character-ized by its many Liberty style villasboth on the hills and on the seafront,and that is worth a visit for its sceniclocation and for its smooth sandybeach, provided with all facilities mak-ing it a first class resort.For those keen on sports, here you cango sailing, surfing, you can play beachvolley, beach soccer, and at night, foreverybody lots of fun with dancing andentertainment in the kiosks by theshore. Nature lovers should not miss atour along the bank of the Esino river,

so rich in particular arboreal and faunalspecies, such as foxes, badgers,weasels, dormice and a varied bird life.Particularly nice is also the quite shortroute (600 m) going from the AulaVerde to the ruins of the “Liscia”, onceused for the control of waters.Interesting is the historic MolinoSantinelli. Right of the mouth of theriver stretches the Park of Cormorano,wide green area often used for concertsand events. A long bikeway borders theEsino river joining Chiaravalle andRocca Priora.If you wish a very special day, a mustis a stop (6 km from the centre, inBarcaglione) at the Zoo Park “Paesedei bimbi”, the animals kingdom, host-ed in these 60,000 sm, in the highestrespect of their natural habitat.

EVENTS

Festival of ice-cream, June;Esinofestival, music show,theatre and tours along theriver, July;Beer Festival, July;Palio dei quattro castelli, withshows, games andcompetitions,first week-end of August;Musica in Villa,enjoyable culture, poetry andmusic nights, all summer long,in the gardens of somemansions, as Villa Barbaresi(1761), Villa Terni (1760)and Villa Montedomini (1505),created by the Ferretti Familyon top of the hill soaring aboveCastelferretti, joined by a sug-gestive 105 step stairway;Festa del Mare, shows, musicand the 15th of August, and alively parade of boats.

www.comune.falconara-marittima.an.itAirport “Raffaello Sanzio” Tel. +39 071 28271www.ancona-airport.comPro-LocoTel. +39 071 910458

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Significant for the development andthe expansion of the seaside villageand the steady decline of the rural one,was the opening of the railway lineRimini-Ancona and the side oneFalconara-Orte. Debated question isthe origin of the name Falconara,maybe coming from a certain Falcone,condottiere of the Senoni Gauls, orfrom the crowned falcon on the CortesiCounts’ family coat of arms.In the centre of Falconara Alta standsthe mediaeval Church of S. Maria delleGrazie with its simple Gothic portal;lovers of arts cannot miss a visit to thefrescos in the Church of S. Maria dellaMisericordia in Castelferretti, built inthe early 15th century thanks to theFerretti Family, as thanksgiving to theVirgin after an epidemic of plague.Highly interesting is the Francescanaand Picena Library, held on to theConvent of Frati Minori of Falconara,one and only in the world for its col-lection of as many as 170 exemplars ofthe San Francesco’s Fioretti. In the area of Falconara four Castlesstand out: besides the Castle ofFalconara Alta, in whose vaults ishosted the interesting Museum of theResistenza, there are the Castleof Castelferretti, built in 1300 byFrancesco Ferretti, who turned an oldwatchtower into a walled place, theCastle of Barcaglione, imposingfortress of the 11th century, of whichjust part of the donjon is now left, andthe important Castle of PrioraFortress, all along disputed by Jesi andAncona for its appealing positionbetween the Esino and the AdriaticSea, once feeding its defensive moat.The castle was widely reworked in the18th century: major were the works out-

The small village of Scapezzano, once Castle of Senigallia, still keeps part ofthe medieval city walls, with its towers and offers a beautiful view on the near-by Adriatic Sea. An example of “gemmation backward”, from the seacoast tothe village, is Montemarciano, venue of a medieval castle, destroyed in 1578,already vicariate of the Malatesta and the Piccolomini Families. The villagewas founded by the dwellers of the coast, escaped to the terrifying fire startedby the Barbarians in the 5th century, an then populated by a colony ofDalmatians called by the Duke of Urbino to drain the salt pits south ofSenigallia. Worth a visit is the Parrocchiale of S. Pietro Apostolo and the his-toric “Vittorio Alfieri” Theatre. Ancient is the origin of Marina diMontemarciano, better known as “Case bruciate” (burnt houses), to recallthe above mentioned fire, likely venue of a roman settlement, used throughoutthe centuries as changeover point along the coast way, function still kept lateron, as shown by the significant remains of the 15th century Mandracchio, oldpostal station and storehouse, along the S.S. 16 highway.

HILLY VILLAGES “TOWARDS” THE SEA

Lain upon a shelf of the south slope of the Conero Mountain, dropping sheer intothe clear sea, a short way to enchanting beaches, Sirolo shows a mediaeval wattlestructure. The finds in Monte Colombo area (now kept in the Antiquarium of Numana) andgoing back to the Neolithic in particular, lead to think the area already inhabitedin prehistoric age. Important Piceno centre as from the tombs discovered in 1949in the Town Hall, it was during the Roman age an outbuilding of the town hall ofUmana.

Altitude: 125 m a.s.l.

Inhabitants: 3.313

SIROLO“The Marche… are the region where you can meet with the Adriatic.This small special sea, here spreads out more intimate, free andsilent, with its unusual colours making it different from all other season earth. I’m talking about those cold greens, translucent greys,red-streaked blues, recalling precious stones and marbles…”

Guido Piovene, Viaggio in Italia, 1957

is placed between a sea full of fish (inits coat of arms appears a bass, the fishliving in this stretch of sea) and therolling hills of the countryside around,so rich in corn, vines (the excellentRosso Conero is produced here) andolives. In the plenty and lively alleys, oncelived craftsmen, labourers and shop-keepers, as in the names of the streets,as the vicolo (alley) dei ciabattini, vico-lo degli armaioli and vicolo del cerusi-co. The visit of the village can startfrom the Via Italia that leads you to thePiazza Vittorio Veneto, delightful deckwhere the view opens up to the sea,

sweeping from the harsh and whitecliffs of the Conero Mountain to thesmooth seashores of the southern coast.Here stands the Church of S. Nicolò(1765), with its 15th century portal andthe tall belfry, while not far stands theex Church of SS. Sacramento, nowbecome a tavern, whose portal showsan important relief of the 15th centuryportraying the Madonna con Bambino.Walking on you reach the Church of S.Rosario (built with reuse materials,including an Arcangelo Gabriele)dated Early Middle Ages, where it istreasured a painting by PompeoMorganti from Fano. Inside the old citywalls, including a strong donjon andtwo mediaeval arches, stands out thehistoric Theatre Cortesi, dedicated tothe old Lords’ family. In the immediateoutskirts, worth a visit is the beautifulVilla Vetta Marina, that took the placeof an ex Franciscan convent, of which

just the belfry is left; nearby you canadmire those huge elms planted,according to the tradition, by S.Francesco d’Assisi in 1215 (during atrip when he predicted the arrival, thenoccurred 79 years later, of the SantaCasa of Loreto in the Marche, prophe-cy then reported as acrostic in the wordPicenum: Portatur Iuxta ConerumEdicula Nazarenae Virginis Mariae).Do not miss the suggestive Theatre ofthe Cave, made from a huge old aban-doned quarry, that in summer offersunforgettable shows under the Conerostars. On the edge of the Conero moun-tain rises the Badia of S. Pietro of

EVENTS

Handicraft market,all friday of july and August.

www.turismosirolo.itTourist InformationTel. e Fax +39 071 9330611info@prolocosirolo.itinfo@sirolo.marche.itRegional Park of MonteConeroTel. +39 071 9331161Tel. +39 071 9331879 www.parcodelconero.eu

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Goes back to the 560 the origin of thename, due to Sirio, a condottiere serv-ing Belisario who, after the victoriouswar against the Goths in 550, wasgranted the fiefdom of the Conerowhere he then built a fortalice.Ancient land of warriors, Sirolo isfamous as an impregnable fortress, ableto face the attacks thanks to its strongtowers, its walls and its strategic posi-tion. In the 11th century it was fiefdomof the Cortesi Counts, nobles ofFrench-German origin, who raised herea fortified castle and gave in 1038, tothe Benedectine monks the Badia, ontop of the Conero Mountain, todayChurch of S. Pietro. In 1225 the villagepassed under the rule of Ancona andthen was annexed to Papal State territo-ries, until the Unification of Italy. Deepin the uncontaminated nature of theRegional Park of Monte Conero, theold village of Sirolo, sunny and windy,

Romanic foundation, with its 18th cen-tury facade, a naive and two aisles onpillars and columns with valuable cap-itals. Of remarkable importance is theearly discovery of the ArchaeologicalArea “I Pini”, a necropolis of thePiceno, marked by several circle buri-als, as the rich “Tomb of the SiroloQueen”, buried with two carts (6th cent.b. C.), whose remains are kept in theAntiquarium of Numana. From the oldcentre, through the pathways, you canreach the wonderful beaches, so rich inbays, reefs and coves, whose beautyhas been unanimously recognized andawarded the prestigious Blue Flag ofEurope. Worth a mention are Sassi Neriand San Michele beaches, the Urbanione too, from the name of the homony-mous cave. Noteworthy is the enchant-ing small beach of Due Sorelle, whosename recalls those two peculiar statelyrocks facing the coast.

The ancient heart of Numana, old fishing village, clings on top of a hill, in thesouthern part of the Conero Mountain and offers a splendid view all over bays andcoves of the coast beneath. The place was already populated in the prehistory and since the 8th century b.C. ithas had a significant function as harbour of the Piceni, quite used by the Greeks forthe coasting trade. In the 6th-5th century b.C. Numana turned out to be an importantand frequented call, as proved by the rich stock of Attic vases, in the over one thou-sand burials discovered in the necropolis placed on top of the hills, between theditch of the Molini e the ditch of the Fonte. As the Romans conquered the Piceno,

Altitude: 65 m a.s.l.

Inhabitants: 3.293

NUMANA“Numana a Siculis condita;ab eisdem Colonia Ancona oppositaPromontorio Cumerio…”

Pliny the Elder, Naturalis Historia

local tradition. Continuing towards thepanoramic Piazza Nuova, you find afont (restored) representing what is leftof an ancient Roman waterworks com-ing from the Conero, and the ruins of aRoman wall in opus reticulatum. In thenearby you cannot miss a visit to theAntiquarium Statale and its exhibitionof a rich and well documented collec-tion of finds, ranging from the civiliza-tion of the Piceno to the Roman age.Carrying on along the central viaRoma, starting from the main piazza,you walk on, leaving on your left the

way that slopes downwards the beachof Numana Alta and, on the right, thestairway called “la Costarella” (insummer, venue of art exhibitions) lead-ing to the beach of Numana Bassa andto its lively port. Shortly afterwardsyou reach the panoramic Piazzettadella Torre, onto the sea, with its viewof the Conero cape on one side and onthe other, of Loreto and PortoRecanati, where noteworthy are theremains of an ancient Tower fallendown in 1928, maybe part of the medi-aeval city walls.

EVENTS

The rite of Spring,end of March;Market-exhibition of artistichandicraft, antiques and collectionism, the end of August;Premio “Città di Numana”,2nd of August; the Processionedel Cristo Re, last Sunday ofOctober.

www.turismonumana.itCentro IATinfo@turismonumana.itTel. e Fax +39 071 9330612

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the city was reduced to bondage, yetkeeping some importance and autono-my.In 558 it was devastated by the earth-quake, but its decadence started aroundthe year One thousand and got worsein the 14th century because of anotherearthquake (1292). Later bound toAncona, in 1868 it took back its origi-nal name as modified into Umana inthe Middle Ages.The beauty of Numana lies in themagical marriage of the ancient townhung on to the Conero side and theamazing surrounding landscape of seaand hills. The village consists of threeparts: Numana Alta on the utmostmountainside, wrapped by woodlands,Numana Bassa and its well known andequipped port, its beautiful fine pebblybeach and those typical restaurants andthen Marcelli, the most modern area ofthe Conero Riviera, with its many hol-iday camps, residential complex anddifferent accommodation facilities.Clean beaches, clear sea and touristfacilities of good level have madeNumana and its port deserve the pres-tigious Blue Flag of Europe. The visit to the city can start in thePiazza del Santuario where you canadmire the former Town Hall Palace, abuilding dated 1773 once used as sum-mer residence of the Archbishops ofAncona, and the modern Sanctuary ofthe Crocifix where it is treasured,besides some of Andrea Lilli’s impor-tant works, also an adored cedarwoodCrucifix, relevant sculpture of theByzantine time, dated back to the 13th –14th century, considered Saints Lucaand Nicodemo’s masterpiece by the

What is left of the ancient Numana founded by the Siculan over 2,000 yearsbefore Christ, are the necropolis of the Piceno village and poor remains ofsome buildings.The rest of it might lie deep down the sea, as it seems proved by those ruinsunderwater in front of the port of Numana and by the discovery, few metresoff the shore, of significant sculptures as the Head of Warrior, kept into theArchaeological Museum of Ancona.With clear sea, old fishermen tell they saw walls and arcades underwater andstill alive is the legend telling that in those stormy nights, you can hear strokesfrom the sunken bells.The story tells it was a queen who, not properly welcome by Numana thesuperb, had the city razed to the ground, ordering to throw the rubble in thesea. Indeed, historically the destruction of the place is to be traced back to theearthquakes and seaquakes hitting the zone in 558 and 1292.

DISCOVERING SOME MORE

Falconara Marittima (AN)

Numana (AN)

Sirolo (AN)

Marina di Montemarciano (AN)

Riviera del Conero (AN)Montignano, Senigallia (AN)

Sirolo (AN)

Emblematic example of how the seacoast is so tied to the high village is CivitanovaMarche, born upon the ruins of the Roman Cluana and called Ripa or Castello diSan Marone from the name of the saint patron. The city is made of two clearly dif-ferent centres: the Upper town, old mediaeval village, and the coastal built-up area.Cluana, probably founded by the Piceni in the 9th century b.C. and placed along-side the left bank of the river Chienti, (as shown by the many archaeological findsdiscovered) it was then destroyed following the crisis of the Roman Empire and theBarbaric invasions; the survivors found refuge in a village on top of the hill, theancient Cluentensis Vicus, becoming so “Civitas Nova”, the new town, that isCivitanova. The vicus survived to the invasions of the 408 and the 413, then fol-lowed by the wars between the Goths, the Longobards and the Byzantines, and theirforays, havoc and famine. Over the next centuries several dominions followed oneanother: the Church and the Da Varano da Camerino Family, the Malatesta, theSforza and the Visconti Families, then the Cesarini from Rome.

Altitude: 3/155 m a.s.l.

Inhabitants: 38.299

CIVITANOVA ALTACIVITANOVA MARCHE“Sun! Sun! What a dazzling sun! All around shining in the place Ireached: the sea was a vast silver sheet, the sky an infinitesplendour above my head, an endless blue caress to the eye that,for the first time, had the earthly beauty revealed…”

Sibilla Aleramo, Una donna, 1906

Paolo), including the 15th century PortaMarina, marked by a cypress born with-in the embattled bar. Worth a visit is thePalace of Delegazione dated 1867, seeof the Archivio Storico Comunale. Inthe nearby, within the ancientCollegiata area, stands the Church of S.Paolo Apostolo with its baptismal fontdated 5th century and interesting paint-ings. Not faraway you can find and visitthe 14th century Church of S. Agostinowith its baroque interior together withan original Roman portal, lively andpopular place in summer, thanks to theseveral concerts and art exhibitions, andthe beautiful Theatre Annibal Caro,noble residence built in 1872 on theproject of the engineer Prosperi, (its1480 portal belonged to the CantucciPalace), and inaugurated by the

famous dancer and choreographer fromCivitanova, Enrico Cecchetti. In thecentral Piazza della Libertà, you cansee the Ducal Palace Cesarini Sforza,of 14th century origin but fully revised inthe 16th century, whose rich interior isdecorated with frescos by PellegrinoTibaldi. Not to be missed is the 14th

century Church of S. Francesco(unchurched), with its valuable romanportal and the bell tower attributed tothe venetian artist Marino di MarcoCedrino. Plenty are the noble resi-dences, such as Palace Sabatucci,Palace Ricci, Palace Centofiorini, homeof Enrico Cecchetti and of the greatAnnibal Caro, prestigious poet andtranslator of the Eneide, that now hoststhe Town Art Gallery “M. Moretti”,holding paintings by Carrà, Morandi,De Chirico, Guttuso and Ligabue.Noteworthy is the historic Liberty styleBus Station (1900), rich in polychromepottery and the Museum of the Arts andpopular Traditions with its many manu-

EVENTS

Domus Antiqua, January andNovember; Carnevale civi-tanovese, February; Market ofartistic handicraft andantiques, the fourth Sunday ofevery month, except July andAugust; Festa del mare, June;Regata Italian Cup, Regate aCivitanova Marche, July;“Lo Vattajò”, end of July;Market-exhibition of artistichandicraft, every saturday inJuly and August; Sagra delpesce, August; Spettacolopirotecnico sul mare,the 14th of August; Cartacanta,national market-exhibition,October; Civitanova Danza,July, an event not to be missedbecause of the all year longwide and articulated projectthis town has devoted to thisdiscipline; Civitanova Arte,July-August; Season of theTheatre Rossini e of theTheatre “A. Caro”.

www.civitanovamarche.infoTel. +39 0733 822213www.comune.civitanova.mc.itCentro IATiat.civitanova@provincia.mc.itTel. +39 0733 813967Fax +39 0733 815027

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Under the rule of the seigniory of theSforzas, in 1440 the Comacinis carriedout brand new “shoe” town walls, andthe four towers defending the gates. Inthe meanwhile, in order to face thesteady pirates’ forays and protect theirtrades, a fortress was built, then com-pleted in 1475. Since 1551, when thetown was made over by Pope Giulio theIII to the Roman noble GiulianoCesarini, a time of renaissance andurban renewal started: the new townwalls were built as well as the LordsPalace and a new residence for theMagnificent Priors. Later on in the cen-turies, the deterioration of relationshipsbetween the communities of CivitanovaAlta and Porto Civitanova, lead to thesplitting in 1913. Today the two citiesare joined again in one, calledCivitanova Marche. The tour ofCivitanova Alta can start from thewalls of the castle with the four gates,(Girone, Mercato or of the Ponte,Sant’Angelo or Marina, Zoppa or San

factures from the rural tradition of theMarche, and, absolutely one of a kind,the Historic Museum of the Trotto, outof the built-up area.Civitanova Marche, grown around theFortress and upon the remains of theRoman Cluana, boasts the imposingPalace Cesarini Sforza, built in 1862on a construction dated 16th century, andtoday see of the Municipality. Then youcan see the Public Gardens, the Libertyhouses in Lido Cluana, and the fish-monger’s shops. The north area of thecity is characterized by all the trees ofViale Vittorio Veneto where the formerCasa del Balilla stands, an interestingbuilding planned in 1933 by AdalbertoLibera, one of the masters of theRationalism, now hosting the CityLibrary and the Theatre “E. Cecchetti”.

The Church of S. Marone, of Romanhardcore but strongly reworked at theend of the 19th century, is in thehomonymous quarter, an ancient romansettlement, as shown by the many findscropping out in the area. The area of theport, attracting plenty of yachtsmenwho can count on every kind of facili-ties and comforts, is the nerve centre ofthe town life as for fishing, industry,trade, handicraft and tourism. In sum-mer, from here leaves the fast sea linkby catamaran connecting to the Croatia.Civitanova is as well famous for itsmany factories and outlets of the mostprestigious griffes in the footwear sectorabove all. Plenty are also the sportingfacilities equipped for the most differentsports, such as golf, horse riding andsailing. Enogastronomy means such astrong attraction as well, thanks to typi-cal dishes as the brodetto or “lo pulentòco’ li furbi e l’abbiti”, that’s to say, themaize flour based dish dressed withoctopus and chard sauce.

A particular history is linked to the origin of the bathing resorts of Porto Recanati and Porto Potenza Picena, both

risen as coast mooring for Recanati and Potenza Picena, important municipalities with notable urban centres, that,

being fairly far from the coast, felt the need of having a port of call on the Adriatic seacoast. This kind of process

unites lots of seacoasts and is proof of the progressive approach to the sea coast by the métayer man of the Marche.

About 13 km separate the evocative town of Recanati, where all around recalls those Giacomo Leopardi’s poems,

from the long seashore of Porto Recanati, better known as “the suite of the Riviera”. The historic sea village

developed all around the 15th century Castle Svevo, up to reach the current large dimensions; efficient tourist facil-

ities set among the pinewoods and the picturesque streets, a top quality eno-gastronomy, boasting a delicious

brodetto and a rich cultural scenery with shows and art exhibitions, make this town one of the favourite destina-

tions as for the sea tourism.

Porto Potenza Picena is an hamlet of Potenza Picena, just 8 km far from it and noble city rich in palaces, church-

es and ancient traditions (as damasks and brocades woven by the Nuns of the Addolorata). The peaceful bathing

resort hosts a lively Sport Centre and a marina, ideal for those keen on sailing and water sports. Interesting, on the

naturalistic side, the area of the brine water small lakes. Do not miss the Villa Buonaccorsi and its wonderful

Italian garden enriched with fountains and waterplays and tiny lakes, niches and wonderful statues.

HILLY VILLAGES “TOWARDS” THE SEA

Recanati (MC) Potenza Picena (MC)

Porto Recanati (MC)

Porto Recanati (MC)

Civitanova Alta (MC) Potenza Picena (MC)

The suggestive centre of Torre di Palme is an extraordinary panoramic balcony ontop of a hill dominating the coast and the Adriatic Sea. The village belongs to thegroup of Castles of the Fermo area, grouped according to their location, into sea,mountain and middle ones: those above the sea rise up on top of the hills and theyusually have a urban structure of elliptic or ship shape (with east-west axis) andsurrounded by walls opened by gates “da Sole” or “da Bora”. The built-up area was born in the Middle Ages as a fortified protection of the oldport of call of the Roman city of Palma, in order to get it defended from the fre-quent pirates’ forays. The coast area between the rivers Tesino and Chienti in theold maps of the area named “Agro Palmense”, had its harbour in the ancient Palmain Agro Piceno, mentioned by the Latin writer Plinio the Old in relation to the pro-duction of the highly fine wine Palmense.

Altitude: 120 m a.s.l.

Inhabitants: 303

TORRE DI PALME(FERMO)“The sea is already East. The wind from the South-East blowsstraight from Greece, all full of that ancient land’s scents.In the tartanes full sails the Levant beats: yellow or red, oftenstriped with large dark bands, they do take on more lively andflaming colours on this lapis lazuli blanket…”

Gabriel Faure, Italian pilgrimages.

against the City of Fermo; its autono-my came to an end in 1861, when itbecame hamlet of Porto San Giorgio,and later it definitely ended up underthe administration of Fermo, in 1878. Torre di Palme stands out thanks tothe preservation of its environment andto the uniformity in style of theMediaeval and Renaissance building,points making it one of the most inter-esting centres of the region, despite itssmall dimensions.The village is crossed, west to east, byvia Piave that not only holds the mostsignificant buildings of the old built-uparea, but let you enjoy those urbanglimpses where the tight lanes, withtheir typical fronts in terracotta bloom-ing with geraniums, frame a wide viewof the sea and the hills all around.The tour of the village can start fromthe tiny Church of S. Giovanni, datingback to the year one thousand, made ofashlars and hanging small arches,inside of which you can admire frescosof the XV century; then there is thePalazzo Priorale with its round archwalled within the facade and a sailbelfry and the gothic Church ofS. Agostino (already belonging to theEremitanis) with annexed convent, andtheir characteristic red “cotto” used inthe beautiful gothic portal and in therose window and the saddle facade:

inside, not to be missed is a painting byVincenzo Pagani (1578) and an impos-ing polyptyc by Vittore Crivelli, stolenin 1972 and soon after retrieved(except for three compartments of thepredella), with its original carvedwood frame of bright enamelled

colours, even brighter on that goldbackground. Walking along the mainway you reach the Church of S. Mariaa Mare, erected in the 12th century andlater modified, in ashlars and “cotto”,whose bell tower is decorated with lit-tle intertwined arches and majolicabasins: very interesting is the nave andtwo aisles interior with raised pres-bytery and the Byzantine age frescosdating back to the 14th century.On the left of the church, within a tinygarden, stands a well curb, once aBaptistry. Opposite the church stands theRomanic Oratory of S. Rocco of the12th century, whose 16th century portalshows Torre di Palme’s coat of arms.The main street ends in the Belvederesquare that offers such a wonderfulview on the coast and the sea beneath. The village is surrounded by the thickgrowth of the Boschetto di Cugnolo,protected wildlife area, peculiarbecause of the maquis species herepreserved; a further beauty makingthis the ideal place for hikers, is thesuggestive Grotta degli Amanti aswell, scene of the tragic love ofAntonio and Laurina, the two loversdied throwing themselves off the Fossoof S. Filippo.In the nearby you can find thehydropinic centre of Fonti di Palme,

EVENTS

Tipicità, fair of typical localproduct, March, in Fermo;Festa di Primavera,March-May, in Fermo;Market-exhibition ofhandicraft and antiques,all Thursdays in July andAugust, in Fermo;Palio of the Assunta,sumptuous historic courtlycommemoration with itsCorteo della Cavalcata, 15thof August in Fermo;Market-exhibition of theantiques and restoration,December, in Fermo; Market-exhibition of vintage watchesand jewels, December, inFermo; Opera and theatreseason of the Theatredell’Aquila, all year long,in Fermo.

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Stately mediaeval castle, provided witha solid defensive system, Torre diPalme owes to the Augustinian reli-gious movement the creation of mostof the oldest core of the village.Proud of its independence, the villagewas often engaged in long fights

swathed into the green of a park, usingthe water Palmense of the Piceno, abicarbonate-alkaline medium-mineral,recommended for the treatment of themetabolism diseases.

Cupra boasts ancient origins, as proved by the many finds come to light in thoselarge necropolis of the first Iron Age (7-5th century b.C.) in this area, whose 400graves contained carts, weapons, ornaments, vases, ceramics, and those mysteri-ous big bronze rings decorated with six knots, whose meaning the archaeologistshave been wondering for long.The place was a major religious centre for the Piceni Cuprenses, renowned for itsTemple dedicated to Cupra, the Etrurian-Sabine goddess that, to all the finds dis-covered over the time, had to be situated on the edge of the Colle Morganti.The place, centre of the Piceni Cuprenses, was renowned for a Temple dedicatedto Goddess Cupra, the Etrurian-Sabine divinity. The old city rose north the villageas today, on the Colle d’Agnesia: here stand the ruins of the so called Temple ofthe Cesari, besides the remains of the town walls and the harbour facilities fromthe Roman times. Already Municipium and colony named Iulia Cuprensis, lived

Altitude: 4/112 m a.s.l.

Inhabitants: 5.017

CUPRA ALTACUPRA MARITTIMA“All here around is clear, bright, steady: this land is a bookeveryone can read and appreciate, at first sight… a neat, poetic andrational land, as well as harmonic, with no pleonasms andinterruptions, with no falsity and untruths…”

Giovanni Bucci, Il Mio Paese, 1986

ing the Baby between the SaintsSebastiano and Basso and, in thevestry, an enamelled rocco di pastoraleportraying a San Michele and the drag-on, masterpiece of the limosine art ofthe 13th century. In the nearby you finda road uphill among the pines leadingto, after about 600 m, Cupra Alta orMarano, the old suggestive village,the heart of it, with an amazing panora-

ma over the sea and the Riviera of thePalms, its many alleys brightened upby the flowered balconies, and the his-toric Churches of the Annunziata andof the Suffragio. The old town isalmost intact, with walling marked bysquare and polyhedral towers, erectedin the 15th century by FrancescoSforza, and the gates of the Fortress,the Marina and of S. Rocco, standingout among the green of pines andpalms. Through an open gate withinthe bailey, you can go high up to theupper part of the built-up area, wherethe tiny Church of Santa Maria inCastello stands, dated 1330, whoserectangular facade with Romanesqueportal, two single-lancet windows anda little arches bar, topped with a sailbelfry; noteworthy inside are the pre-cious frescos dated 14th and 16th centu-ry. Walking on, passing between thetwo towers, you reach the Fortressswathed into the pinewood.Right south the city (about 500 m),from the Adriatic highway, a roadmoves away and goes up into the deepgreen of the pinewoods “of theFortress” or “of the Pignotti”, lead-ing to the top of the S. Andrea hill,where rise the imposing ruins of theCastle of S. Andrea, ancient fortress ofthe 13th century, created for sighting

and defence purpose, whose remainsoverhang into the sea. Carrying onsouthwards for about 9 km along thepanoramic Provincial Cuprense Road,you reach the Gothic Church of S.Maria della Petrella, so rich in frescosdated 15th and 16th and in particularancient inscriptions.One of the major attractions of the cityis the Archaeological Park of CupraMaritima on the Colle of Civita (andon the adjoining Colle of San Basso orMorganti), at around 1,500 m north ofthe built-up area, where it is possible tospot a relevant part of the urban systemof the roman town and maybe the findsof the ancient Temple dedicated to thegoddess Cupra; the several archaeolog-ical finds, coming from the excava-tions, are held in the Museum of theTerritory, recently moved to the PalaceCipolletti in the village of Marano.Worth a visit is with no doubt theimportant Malacology Museum ofPiceno, one of the most importantmuseums about shells in the world,thanks to the over 700,000 specimendisplayed and the interesting marks ofthe primitive malacologic art.Lovers of nature should not miss a ridealong the bikelanes, connecting CupraMarittima to Grottammare, stretchingover 3 km among palms and oleanders,just a short walk to the sea.

EVENTS

Festa di San Basso,Easter Monday;Festival of May, last sundayof May; Contest – Nationalcontemporary paintingexhibition “Premio Cupra”,July; TAU, Teatri AntichiUniti, end of July;Scena Picena, RassegnaTeatrale, July-August;Clams Festival, August (thecity is the most famous in theAdriatic for the fishing of thisshellfish);Cupra Music Festival,September.

www.comune.cupra-marittima.ap.itCentro IATiat@comune.cupra-marittima.ap.itTel. e Fax +39 0735 779193

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flourishing times thanks to the arrivalof plenty of legionaries, who weregiven the lands to be cropped: that wasthe time of the raising of tough walls todefend the Forum, the Capitol, theThermae, the Theatre and theAmphitheatre and of the constructionof the Basilica and the Curia, as well asroads, squares, waterworks, sewagesystems.Sucked by the Leutari in 554 anddestroyed in the 9th century, it was thenrebuilt up Middle Ages in its presentarea, under the name of CastrumMaranum, then Marano. Othertwo settlements, Sant’Andrea andRoccabianca, rose on top of the hillsaround, following that typical fortifiedsystem, in order to defend the popula-tion from the Franks, Longobards,Byzantines and Saracens’s forays. Marano, free city in the 11th century,had a flourishing harbour thanks towhich it kept up relationships andtrades with Venice, Chioggia, Ragusa,Sebenico and Durazzo. In 1862, G.Possenti, a follower of Garibaldi, pro-moted the relocation of the city centrenear the coast, giving it the name of theold lost town.Absolutely unique is today the urbanstructure of Cupra Marittima;indeed, here, differently from all othercoast towns, the roman city, the medi-aeval and the modern one, lie in clear-ly distinct areas: the Roman Cupra waslocated on the hills in the lands of laCivita, as show the town walls, thenumerous finds of bricks, tiles, vases,and the assumed finds of theCapitolium; the mediaeval Maranostill today standing high on top of thehill sheer down into the sea, with itstowers, its alleys, the old palaces; themodern bathing resort, more than onceawarded the prestigious Blue Flag ofEurope, spreads out along the coastbetween the mouths of the Menocchiaand of the Tesino rivers, with its manyhotels, the beautiful villas dated early20th century (among them the neo-gothic Villa Cellini), and all the attrac-tions of the equipped promenade,enlivened by palms and oleanders bor-dering the long sandy beach.You can start your visit to the moderncity, from the central Piazza dellaLibertà designed by Giuseppe Sacconiand dominated by the Collegiata dedi-cated to San Basso, risen in 1887,whose noble facade stands out at theend of two spectacular stairways;inside there is a triptych by VittoreCrivelli portraying the Madonna ador-

Grottammare faces the Adriatic coast and wins the visitor thanks to its greenpinewoods and palms, the splendour of its orange grooves and the oleanders, itsgold beaches and the clear sea.The marks making this town so attractive to deserve the Blue Flag of Europe pres-tigious award, are then, besides the quality of facilities, the clean sea, the fine sandyseashores, the enchanting glimpse on the ancient core, the flourishing woodlands,where orange-trees stand out, real peculiarity of this area, as in the town coat ofarms, showing two oranges beside a round embattled tower, recalling the old har-bour lighthouse. Praised in the 15th century by the humanist Flavio Biondo for itsrichness in nature and architecture, already in the 17th century was chosen as healthand thermal resort by nobles as the Cardinal Decio Azzolino. In 1800 well knowndoctors recommended it as ideal place for periods of convalescence and for thetreatment of skin and respiratory system illnesses. In summer 1827 as AzzolinoCountess’ guests, stayed in Grottammare, Girolamo Bonaparte, Napoleone’s broth-er and his wife Caterina and, in summer 1868, the musician Franz Liszt alikechoose it for a short holiday, as counts Salvi-Fenili’s guest.

Altitude: 4/126 m a.s.l.

Inhabitants: 14.278

GROTTAMMARE ALTAGROTTAMMARE“The blue sea, the pleasant verdant hills, the mildness of the climateand the scent of flowers and of oranges do create a poetry equal tothe heavenly sounds harmony…”

Franz Liszt, Grottammare, 1868

The city took active part to the fights forthe Unification of Italy, also thanks tothe many proselytes GiuseppeGaribaldi made here during a stay in1848-49. In 1860 Grottammare helpedto the setback of the Papal army: thedays following the fights, VittorioEmanuele II remained in the city andreceived on the 12th of October 1860, inLaureati Palace, the Neapolitan delega-tion come to formally offer him theKingdom of the Two Sicilies. From theend of the 18th century the village inter-ests moved towards the coast; to the1779 dates back the area plan for theenlargement of the new built-up area,conceived by the architect Augustoni,providing a network of same roads onthe square, marking off rectangularblocks and later used for the further cityexpansion as well. Between the 19th andthe 20th century, came the creation ofthriving pinewoods close to the railwayand the building, at the back of theseashore, of many lovely Liberty stylesmall villas (as the prestigious villinoMatricardi) overlooking a splendidpalms and oleander boulevard. All overthe 30s Grottammare has beenequipped with all facilities as for sportsand leisure: tennis courts by the sea,meeting places and clubs, new movietheatres and then the Kursaal, the leg-endary dance hall livening up, for years,the Adriatic Coast trendy nights. Alovely way going up through the green-ery gets you to the ancient village ofGrottammare Alta, rising on top of theMonte Castello dropping sheer into thesea: along the way the 17th century Villaof the Cardinal Decio Azzolino, that hadChristine of Sweden as guest. Amongcountry houses and narrow alleys, standout the Torrione of the Battaglia and theChurch of S. Agostino, dating back tothe 16th century, where it is treasured aMadonna della Misericordia byVincenzo Pagani (1577). In the nearbyPiazzetta Peretti you can enjoy anenchanting view from the arcade withbalcony of the building hosting the his-toric Theatre of the Arancio, close towhich stands the Clock Tower. Worth avisit is the prestigious Church of S.Lucia (1597) wanted by Camilla Perettiin memory of his brother Sisto V(Felice Peretti), born in Grottammare,whose architecture reveals DomenicoFontana’s imprint: particular is thesquare layout interior, topped with adome borne by four pylons. In the upperpart of the built-up area lie the remainsof the ancient 14th century castle. Worth

a visit is the Museum Sistino as well, sorich in heirlooms and paintings linkedto the figure of Sisto V, set in theChurch of S. Giovanni Battista, build-ing of old origins restored by PietroMaggi. In Grottammare was bornPericle Fazzini, “the sculptor of thewind”, as in Ungaretti’s inspired words,whose works can be admired in theFazzini Centre and all around the town.Worth a visit is the RomanesqueChurch of S. Martino as well, about 1km southwards from Grottammare: thenaive and two aisles interior owns aRoman epigraph to remind the restora-tions wanted by the Emperor Adriano tothe temple of the Goddess Cupra,whose remains might be found in theleft walls opposite the church and insome other structures below the reli-gious building. From these ruins called“Cruptae ad mare”, comes the nameof the following settlement ofGrottammare. Not far there is the so-called Bagno della Regina, big romanround water cistern.

EVENTS

Season of Theatre Ragazzi,February-March;Cabaret amore mio, NationalFestival of the Umorismo,July-August;Operetta Festival, August;Vivalastradaviva, Theatre inthe street “Scena Picena”,August; Market of Antiquesand Handicraft, every mondayin July and August.

cultura@comune-grottammare.ap.itCentro IATiat.grottammare@provincia.ap.itTel. e Fax +39 0735 631087

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The history of Grottammare owes itsorigins to a Umbrian-Tuscan league andto the Piceni, as proved by the findswithin a large necropolis on the hillsbehind the seashore from which comesa rich funerary set datable from the 9th

till the 4th century b.C. In the 8th century,a group of monks settled in the Churchof S. Martino, while in the 9th -10th cen-tury the Fortress was raised, whoseremains can still be seen on the hilldominating the old village. Its harbour,lying at the northern end of the currentbuilt-up area, is mentioned in a docu-ment dated 1259, where king Manfredigranted the castle of Grottammare,“cum suo porto”, to the City of Fermo.Lost its autonomy, the town underwentthose frequent and ruinous passing ofthe soldiers, the neighbouring citiesfights and the Turkish pirates’ forays,

highly threatening in this stretch ofcoast.It was just with the purpose of facingthe pirates’ forays that in 1299 the har-bour was expanded and later also thecastle walls restored. Nevertheless in1525, the pirate Dulcigno succeeded inconquering it; following this event,Grottammare was completely fortifiedwith walls, gates and a Donjon called“of the battle”, right by the beneathharbour, in order to adequately returnany new attack. For long the city kepton enjoying its prestige coming fromthe harbour so that, in 1643, it was cho-sen as base for a government office con-trolling boarding and landing on SanBenedetto, Cupra and Pedaso shores.

This town name comes from the retrieval in the sea, in the 3th century, of the bodyof a Roman soldier, Benedetto, killed because of his refusal to abjure the Christianfaith; it is around his tomb, worshipped by the local population, that the first hous-es of the old village are assumed to be built.But further to some finds along the right bank of the stream Albula, the origins ofthe place turned out to date back to the Roman city of Alba Picena and, going evenback in time, to the settlement founded by the Liburni in the 9th century b. C. fromwhich the Roman Truentum was born.

Altitude: 6/283 m a.s.l.

Inhabitants: 45.054

SAN BENEDETTO DEL TRONTO“Still similar to the Homeric boats, the paranza (fishing trawlers)of San Benedetto are: steered as those ones, requiring sameoperations, same efforts to set sail and to land.Here, as well as in old times, they rake the sky before sailing; here,as Ulysses did, they unfur the sails Piceno people have all enrichedwith symbols telling about Greece, Bysantium, Eastern civilization…”

Adolfo De Carolis, in Rivista Marchigiana Illustrata, 1906

Annexed to the Kingdom of Italy in1860 thanks to the “Cacciatori delleAlpi”, since 1869 it has kept its currentname.Lying at the mouth of the little streamAlbula and spreading out in-betweenthe Tesino river, north, and south theTronto river, San Benedetto delTronto is now one of the very firstbathing resorts in the Adriatic coast,the capital of the amazing Riviera ofthe Palme. For years awarded theEuropean Blue Flag, it boasts a splen-did promenade, enriched with over7,000 palms, so able to recall wonder-ful exotic landscapes.Thanks to the long white fine sandybeach (10 km of beach and 5 of prom-enade) San Benedetto del Tronto hasbeen, since the end of the 19th century,

a renowned bathing resort, as provedby the many Liberty style small villashere, the historic Stabilimento Bagniand the famous Palazzina Azzurra,once a fashionable meeting point forvisitors and today exposition venuewithin the pinewood and gardens area. The town consists of two clearly dis-tinct cores: a high village, that is a realcastle able to protect itself from thepirates’ forays, and a coast city, thefishing village developed from the 18th

century. Like an open balcony onto the AdriaticSea, the old village, named Belvedere,marked by its 14th century hexagonalTower of Gualtieri (noble family whosettled in the castle in the 12th century),with its brackets and merlons. In thenearby, among those narrow alleys and“cotto” houses, stands the imposingChurch of S. Benedetto, erected wherebefore the 10th century old Pieve rose.Worth a visit in the close Episcopy, is

EVENTS

Art Exhibition “Sculturaviva”, June;L’antico e le palme, lastdecade of June, July andAugust;Season of ItalianDocumentary, “Premio LiberoBizzarri”, July, one of themost renowned events as forthe film documentary sector;Festa della Madonna dellaMarina, last Sunday of July, areligious procession, from theCathedral to the port, whereboats take to the open sea fora parade ending with a laurelcrown tossed in water, inmemory of all those dead intothe sea; Festival “Vocinuove”, August-September;National Meeting “TeatriInvisibili”, September;Pre-finals of “Miss Italia”Contest, September.

www.comune-san-benedetto-del-tronto.ap.itCentri IATiat.sanbenedetto@provincia.ap.itTel. +39 0735 592237Fax +39 0735 582893iat.portodascoli@regione.marche.itTel. +39 0735 751798(seasonal opening)

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Mentioned in a document dated 998, in1211 it was given by Ottone IV toFermo, together with the territoriesfrom the Tronto to the Potenza. When in 1245 the Emperor Federico IIgranted to Ascoli a stretch of coastbetween Ragnola and Tronto rivers tobuild there a fortified port, the long andruthless fights between Fermo andAscoli Piceno started. Stricken, in1478, by a pestilence decimating itspopulation, the town stayed almostdeserted for many years, till it wasrepopulated by refugees from theRomagna, in the upper Marca, whowere granted territories in emphyteu-sis. From the 16th to the 19th century thecity underwent the dreadful Saracenspirates’ forays, so cunning in capturingsailors and get them in bondage in far-away lands; from 1650 the centre grewout of the walls and in 1754 the firstcoast suburbs of Sant’Antonio and ofthe Marina rose.

the Intercomunal Diocesan Museum ofSacred Art. Walking along via Risorgimento, past aroundabout with a fountain, you reachthe Lighthouse, symbol of the ancienthistory of the local marine. The town,so strictly linked to the sea, boasts animportant port provided with a mightyfishing fleet and one of the majorwholesale fish market in Italy.Emblem of San Benedetto marine isthe “paranza”, a kind of boat con-ceived at the end of the 18th century,consisting of a lighter and nimblerboat, as for the manoeuvres, with pecu-liar symbols on the sails, useful notonly to identify boats, but also to por-tray fishermen’s dreams and needs.Among those liberty style small villasembellishing the promenade, notewor-

thy are the villino Sorge, the villaBozzoni and, along the S.S. 16 high-way, the amazing Villa Brancadoro,holding Adolfo De Carolis’ frescos(1899).Today the town is equipped with manysports facilities, a marine with a yachtclub ideal for yachtsmen, and anindoor stadium, areas for playingbowls, swimming-pools, an athleticstrack, a modern conventions hall andrich and varied hotel facilities.Sights to be seen are then the lively andrich Fish Market nearby the port andthe alleys of the “u labirintu”, the his-toric fishing quarter where to enjoy thedelicious brodetto alla sanbenedettese;do not miss the many and interestingmuseums of the sea, such as theMarine Museum “A. Capriotti”, theMuseum of the Amphorae, theAntiquarium Truentinum and theMuseum of the Fishing and theMaritime Civilization.

The bathing resort of Porto Sant’Elpidio started as port of call of Sant’Elpidio a Mare, a picturesque small city treasuredwithin the mediaeval walls, in whose 14th century core stand out the Tower Gerosolimitana (XIV century) erected by theKnights of Malta, the Collegiata and the City Hall Palace, holding a precious polyptyc by Carlo Crivelli and a triptych bythe Garofalo. A fine sandy and pebbly beach is the distinguishing mark of Porto Sant’ Elpidio, an old sea village, becomean equipped bathing resort: worth a visit is the ancient Tower, the Church of the Annunziata and the noble Villas lying rightin the hinterland, where in summer you can enjoy interesting cultural events. Do not miss the nearby Porto San Giorgio,once named Navale Firmanorum, characterized by an upper part in the quarter Castle and the Fortress and, past the high-way, a seacoast and its promenade dressed up with ancient palms, where stand elegant Liberty style buildings. Suggestiveis the Tiepolo Fortress with its mighty main donjon and the walls protected by the tall maritime pines. It was the Governorof Fermo Lorenzo Tiepolo, the Doge of Venice-to-be, who wanted the austere counterworks to be built in 1276, in order todefend the village from the dreadful Saracen galleys always ready to attack. Among narrow alleys and ancient palaces,noteworthy are the historic Theatre Vittorio Emanuele, the 19th century Church of S. Giorgio, the Villa Bonaparte and thebaroque Church of the Suffragio. Examples of “gemmation” from the village to the seacoast are Altidona and Marina di Altidona, Campofilone and Marinadi Campofilone, Massignano and Marina di Massignano. Altidona, old centre still keeping most of the town walls, riseson top of a hill with a panoramic position dominating the nearby hamlet of Marina di Altidona, a bathing resort in ongo-ing growth, placed between the green pinewoods and the palms. Then comes Campofilone, on top of a rise overhanging the coast city of Marina di Campofilone, noteworthy because ofits remarkable ruins of the town walls, its particular alleys topped with barrel and cross vaults and the historic TheatreComunale. Do not miss to taste the delicious maccheroncini, a kind of egg pasta hand-cut in very thin strings, as an old15th century recipe tells. 6 km far from the hamlet of Marina di Massignano, bathing resort with a sandy and pebbly beach,lies, in a panoramic position, the small mediaeval village of Massignano, with its noble palaces, the Theatre Comunale,the Churches of the Misericordia and of S. Giacomo Maggiore and the interesting Museum of Sacred Art.

Grottammare (AP)

Torre di Palme, Fermo

HILLY VILLAGES “TOWARDS” THE SEA

S. Elpidio a Mare (FM)

Altidona (AP)

Porto San Giorgio (FM)

Cupra Marittima (AP)

San Benedetto del Tronto (AP)S. Elpidio a Mare (FM)

I N D E X

Upper villages above the sea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Gabicce Monte and Gabicce Mare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Gradara . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Casteldimezzo and Fiorenzuola di Focara (Pesaro) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Trebbiantico, Novilara and Candelara (Pesaro) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Mondolfo and Marotta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Falconara Alta and Falconara Marittima . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Scapezzano (Senigallia), Montemarciano and

Marina di Montemarciano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Sirolo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Numana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Civitanova Alta and Civitanova Marche . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Recanati and Porto Recanati . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Potenza Picena and Porto Potenza Picena . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Torre di Palme (Fermo) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Cupra Alta and Cupra Marittima . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Grottammare Alta and Grottammare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

San Benedetto del Tronto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Sant’Elpidio a Mare and Porto Sant’Elpidio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Porto San Giorgio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Altidona and Marina di Altidona . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Campofilone and Marina di Campofilone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Massignano and Marina di Massignano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30