Monteprandone

A stupendous sight on sea, hills rich in vineyards (Red Piceno Superiore and Falerio of the Necks Ascolani), and mountains (280 meters s.l.m.; to around 5 kilometers from the sea of S. Benedetto of the Tronto), the perfumed pinetes, a medieval suburb and his/her deeply tied up history to the life of a saint. Monteprandone is history, ancient culture, a look to the past as important contemporary cultural resource.

The history is in fact part of the atmosphere of Monteprandone, of its ancient buildings and of all of this that brings back to the life of S. Giacomo of the Brand, been born here, in 1393, and deeply devoted to the cultural growth and the development of its country native and of its region.

The beautiful town building with his/her times to cruise that entertains the Civic Museum, the Convent of S. Maria of the Graces or S. Giacomo of the Brand (ancient center of the Library of S. Giacomo, to around a kilometer and a half from the historical center), with the heirlooms of the Saint, a beautiful Madonna with child in terracotta policroma, 1400 Tuscan art, a 1525 Vincent Pagani table ("Crowning of the Virgo"), the crucifix attributed to Cola of amateur, and, in the chapel of S. Giacomo, the 1543 elegant Renaissance portal; the Collegiate one of S. Nicol with his/her 1700 wooden crucifix. And, above all, great cultural wealth of the country, the precious codes of S. Giacomo of the Brand, today preserved near the town library. All this offers Monteprandone to the visitor, in terms of history, art and culture.

The codes of S. Giacomo of the Brand constitute one of the 1400 Franciscan culture most important testimonies in Italy and one among the most remarkable deep regional codicologici.

S. Giacomo, jurist, great impassioned of literature, Franciscan monk, theologian, preaching, active and esteemed in the society of the epoch, among the most famous personalities of the supporting Franciscan, and convinced order of the importance of the social diffusion of the culture, he/she wants to give a library to his/her country of which care personally the constant amplification and the filing, with the objective to favor the education of the religious of the country, of the brothers of the Brands and of how much they share with him the stimulus of the studies.

The codes - Monteprandone

Among the Franciscan collections more studied, the library of S. Giacomo offers in fact an abundant series of well preserved manuscripts, some richly miniated (among these one jewel manuscript given by his/her/their wife by the famous bibliophile of the 1400 Bridegroom Malatesta), others decorated in more ordinary way and mostly inspired to the Franciscan evangelical poverty; even though lost between Monteprandone and various libraries of the national territory, among which the angelic one of Rome, the apostolic Vaticana and the National Library in Naples, the manuscripts of the collection damage also the possibility to examine inventories and ancient annotations, partly of the same S. Giacomo, and to reconstruct therefore the progressive expansion of the collection (more than 180 codes collected by S. Giacomo, 700-800 after his/her death; today 61, the most conspicuous part of the preserved manuscripts, Monteprandone is exposed to), and the strong cultural and motivational bases engraved by the Saint.

Classical Latin and Greek, works of Italian literature and Christian and an extract of the Koran, works autografe of the Saint (sermons and sermons), works of S. Bonaventura, S. Giovanni Damasceno, Seneca, Boezio, Cicero, S. Gregorio, Sant'Agostino, Aristotle, further to ancient medieval parchments of the castle of Monteprandone. Almost all the codes go up again to 1300-1400 and they contain sermons, laudi, epistles, glossaries, dissertations, dominicali, chronicles, decrees, abridged edition, monographs.

Ascoli Piceno

The Towers

A stupendous historical center that owes harmony and elegance to the beauty of his/her travertino, stone with which for two thousand years the urban fabric of the city has been built, from the ladylike buildings to those of the power, from the simple residences to he/she asked her, up to the floorings of its beautiful plazas, Plaza of the People and Plaza I Harangue.

A particular stone the travertino ascolano, with his/her base color ivory and his/her beautiful veins, drawn out in the near caves of S. Marco, Rosara and Acquasanta Terme, these last anchor active, and worked more and more still in the rare local artisan shops, heirs of the splendid art of the magistris de medieval and Renaissance preta.

Ascoli ancient capital of the Picenis, Roman Ascoli, that of the ancient bridges, of the domuses, of the doors and of the amphitheaters, the Ascoli longobarda of the fortifications and the necropolises; the medieval Ascoli of the one hundred towers and the Romanesque churches, the stupendous Renaissance Ascoli, with his/her great art, his/her pictorial schools and orafe and the Ascoli Barocca of he/she asked her and of the noble buildings.

A city from the thousand faces and from the endless historical and artistic facets that it shows his great past in his/her beautiful architecture, as in the suggestive foreshortenings of his/her plazas, among the whole inimitable intimate and austere style of Plaza of the People

Plaza of the People is a splendid place symbol of the city of Ascoli, Plaza of the People it is characterized for the presence of the beautiful colonnade of the Loggia of the Merchants, been born for entertaining the medieval shops, the Building of the Captains of the People and the church of S. Francesco.

The Captains' Building (XIII century), residence before the Captain of the People, then of the Podest, therefore of the Elderly ones and finally of the Pontifical Governors, it contains a great part of the history of the city. The Building assumes its today's aspect in the '500, when it comes radically restructured subsequently to a fire (1535).

Piazza del Popolo

The church of S. Francesco is the result of a long constructive trial that begins in 1258 and it finishes with 1549. Imposing example of Gothic style, the church is characterized for the stupendous principal portal realized in travertino by the local artisans.

And finally, the Merchants' Loggia (XVI century), beside in the church of S. Francesco, been born for wish of the powerful Guild of the Wool.

In 1907 it is added, to subsequently enrich the beautiful plaza, a famous place of meeting for the ascolanis, the Coffee Meletti. The building in style liberty welcomes in fact one of the 150 historical coffees of Italy, perfectly in harmony with the aesthetics of the plaza with its arcades portico and the windows to arc to the first floor in Renaissance style. Style liberty and Viennese coffee atmosphere also to the inside, with the tavolinis in white marble of Carrara, the divanettis of velvet, the decorated ceilings, the mirrors and the mullions.

A splendid coffee been born from the idea and from the wish of a great ascolano, Silvio Meletti, owner of the factory of liqueurs that produces today still the famous anisette, become famous in Italy and in Europe. Meletti wants in fact to offer a place of elegant and sumptuous meeting to his/her fellow citizens, to the place of that that originally the center of the Picket of the Customs was first and then the building of the Mails and Telegraphs. After a careful restauration happened in 1998, in the sottoportico I am in fact riscoperti, of great Giovanni Picca scenografo and Italian theatrical decorator (1840-1910), that allude to the postal functions of the building.

San Benedetto del Tronto

The beach of St. Benedict, important bathing station of the middle Adriatic and asset I bring fishing, among the first ones to national level, it is surely the most famous and frequented of the coastal Piceno, beloved for his/her calm life from town marinara, but also for his/her vivacious evenings in places and establishments on the sea, and naturally for the abundant green that characterizes every district of his and especially the waterfront: palms and postcard oleanders, and ample pinete in which to find shelter from the sun, protected from the thick maritime pines.

The long beach of thin white sand and the palms, that also grow on the beach, are not able whether to recall to the mind influences tied up to exotic islands: S. Benedetto offers everything this instead without going too far. The charm and the agreeability of his/her beaches, and of his/her happy bathing establishments and parish priests, they have enriched then from a good kitchen that cheers the days to the sea with fresh fish, cooked according to traditional recipes to marinate, to read and very savory.

Famous his "Brodetto to the Sambenedettese", original and appetizing in the use of particular ingredients as the vinegar, the pepper and the green tomato; or in flat more refined, fusion of autochtonous first subjects and contemporary influences. Wines' zone DOC, the surrounding territory offers on the tables the Falerio of the Necks Ascolani, the Red Piceno and Red Piceno Superiore.

S. Benedetto is besides endowed with structures for the sport and the leisure time: Nautical Club, tennis fields, Palazzetto of the sport, complex for hockey and skating, bocciodromo, swimming pools and footsteps of athletics. And for the culture and the relaxation: cinema multisala, theater, in summer orchestrates, theatrical representations and cinema to the open one.

The I bring of S. Benedetto of the Tronto he/she also offers the possibility of usufruire of tourism boats for trips in sea next to the coast, during which a savory breakfast or snack are offered, and there is the possibility to enjoy himself/herself/themselves refreshing baths in open sea.

A suggestive way to appreciate the sea and the beautiful tourist places that lean out you and to spend pleasant times in company.

The splendid hills, to few kilometers from his/her beaches, damage then the possibility to alternate to the relaxing life in the beach, interesting trips out handed, to the insignia of the history, of the culture and of the charm of historical suburbs, preserved in a suggestive medieval atmosphere. Not to lose, Acquaviva Picena, Monteprandone, Offida and Ripatransone.

The History

The history of the foundation of S. Benedetto is tied up according to the tradition to the Martyr Benedict, Roman soldier that lived to Cupra, Roman city to around four north miles from the actual S. Benedetto, to emperor Diocleziano's time. Archaeological recoveries testify equally the very probable origins Romans of the city, tied up to the ancient city of Dawn Picena, on the right bank of the Albula, stream that crosses S. Benedetto.

It is of 998 the first document in which the name of the suburb is mentioned.

In 1211 the territory of S. Benedetto, from the river Tronto to the Power, falls under the control of the city of Fermo; while in the 1245 Ascoli it gets a line of coast of the sambenedettese between the Ragnola and the Tronto to build you an I bring strengthened (the actual one I Bring of Ascoli, south zone of the city). it Begins in these years a long series of struggles and disorders among Ascoli and Fermo, that also involve the sambenedettese. To subsequently upset the city, also an epidemic of plague in 1478. S. Benedetto, almost uninhabited, you/he/she will be repopulated from the fugitive romagnolis and of the tall Brand.

The history of the city is subsequently marked by raids of Turks that characterize the history of the country from the '500 thin to the '800.

Beginning from 1650 the urban nucleus expands him over the boundaries, and in 1754 the first suburbs marinari, Sant'Antonio and the Marina are born. The city is freed by the dominion of the Church in 1860. It goes up again to 1896 the Regal Decree that grants the attribute to St. Benedict "of the Tronto"; in 1936 the fraction of I Bring of Ascoli you/he/she is rejoined then to his/her territory.

The recognition of the tourist vocation of St. Benedict can be made to go up again at the end of 1800 with the birth of the first hotel structures and the first bathing establishment. In 1931, following the impulse of the tourist development, it is started important jobs of setup among which also the realization of the beautiful Rotunda and the waterfront.

To complete the ambitious and fortunate project, the realization of a place of meeting, the Blue Villa, still today symbol of the local tourism, at first center of the firm of stay, then dancing among the most famous of the adriatic coast. Today, after a careful restauration that you/he/she has recovered forms of it and native colors, the Blue Villa it is center of photographic shows and contemporary art, and of a park public rich in plants and flowers that in summer entertains pleasant concerts of jazz and classical, and interesting meetings with literary authors of national level.

Art and Culture

In the historical center of the city, the "Tall Country", the testimonies of the ancient past of a town of sea are guarded that appears so much modern: the boundaries of the Castle and the "Tower", monument symbol, ancient posting of command of the XII - XIII century.

The church pievana of St. Benedict Martire, native of the XI century (of the origins the east wall remains) only you/he/she is reconstructed, and widened between 1775 and 1778. The altar devoted Patron, that guards further the relics of it to a precious Shovel of the XVII century raffigurante to the Saint S. Benedetto, St. Joseph and San Phillip Neri, is of 1785 but you/he/she is reconstructed and decorated during the XIX century. The decorations of the apse are the result of a recent restauration that has brought to the light you of 1886. In the church it is preserved also a shovel of the 1707 of the painter they stop Ubaldo Ricci, related to the last supper, a shovel of the Madonna of the Rosary of anonymous of the XVI century and another of the Madonna of the Carmelo, always of anonymous, of the XVIII century.

Always to the Tall Country, it deserves a visit, particularly in the summer period, because center of shows of contemporary art, the restored one and attractive Building Piacentini, ancient house of the beloved poetess sambenedettese Bice Piacentini.

The contemporary art is currently a new sign badge of S. Benedetto: the heart of the most modern town, Avenue Secondo Moretti, renewed in the last years, you/he/she has been in fact devoted to the realization of a pleasant exposure to the open one of contemporary art, with the presence of fountains and sculptures realized by great artists of our times, Ugo Nespolo, Mark Kostabi, Henry Baj, Paul Consorti and Except. Not to forget, the works devoted to the tied up themes of the tradition to the sea and the fishing, realized by important local artists as the offidano Aldo Sergiacomi and Mario Lupo

Offida

Carnevale a Offida

Offida is a particular country that embodies ancient origins, traditions and great culture. The mystery winds its same birth: some historical ones want her/it founded during the age of the Stone by the Pelasgis (or perhaps from the Etruschis), coming from Smaller Asia and landed on the adriatic beach, whereas many centuries later the actual Cupra Marittima would have risen (zone Marano). The name of Offida would be born therefore from that attributed by the people pelasgiche, drawn by the divinity of the snake Ophite.

Other historians bring back his/her origins instead to the occupation of Ascoli from the Longobardis, in 578 AD During the domination of the dukes longobardi, Offida is in fact the most important castle in the County of Ascoli (after the destruction of the city of Truento, in the Sannio), and center of a gastaldo (official provost to the regal courts or to the city, with administrative powers and you work military).

There is on the other hand who sustains the Roman origins of Offida (from oppidum, strengthened city) and who connects instead her to the monks farfensi, that has their center of reference in S. Vittoria in Matenano, and that so much you/they have contributed in the history to the development of the Piceno.

Traditions and characteristic of the country are equally inimitable: on one side the appreciated lace to tombolo to melted them offidano, that so much part has today still in the popular image and in the traditional life of Offida, cheered by the family sound of the melted them in wood and from the beautiful works of art of its merlettaies; from the other, the enogastronomia, only and particular, even though extremely simple: you give famous funghetti of Offida, an original dessert from the intense perfume of anise that is worth really the punishment to try; to the chichripieno, handicraft full salty pizza bread; to the perfumed mistr, distilled to the anise recurrent and unmistakable aroma. And, anchor, particularly important for the offidanis, the events of great call that every year they characterize a picturesque carnival, the False Ox and the Vlurds, an animate run for the streets of the historical center with the "ox", her before, and a suggestive procession of torches the second.

Monsampolo del Tronto

The territory extends him between the valley of the Tronto and the first hills on the left side of the river, with the chief town set to 181 meters s.l.m. and Stella's fraction in the underlying lowland.

The most ancient finds, found in the region Treazzano, they go up again to the 1250-1100 a.C. Her first historical traces report some donation of the Sancti Pauli Mountains instead (perhaps in honor of such Mons of St. Paul, French rider) happened in 1031 for the Church fermana. Subsequently the territory has been place and cause of struggles between gentlemen and local potentates, it was devastated in 1425 from the troops pontificie and ransacked by the brigands of Mark Sciarra in 1591. In 1862 it assumed the actual denomination.

In the chief town the Most greater Door and the arc of the Death are found, the Maria's SS church. Assumed (with wooden crucifix of the sec. XV, 1632 tabernacle and different paintings of merit), Building Malaspina with the Tower of sighting and the Towers. Between the river and the speedway the Crypt of the abbey of the Saints Benedict and Mauro it is found, an aisle unique chiesetta built around the year 1000 and mail to the direct dependences of the abbey of Montecassino.

Among the demonstrations the parties are signalled in honor of S.Mauro (to Stella) and of S.Egidio (in the homonym fraction), over that the Procession of Friday Saint with a precious wooden bier of the sec. XVII.

Monuments of Monsampolo of the Tronto

Going up again Course Vittorio Emanuele III he meets Greater Door, (secc. XV - XVI), one of the two doors of access to the "suburb" fifteenth-century.

It places Rome you/he/she is dominated from the Church of Maria SS. Assumed, erect between the XVI and the XVII century.

The building is to unique aisle with apse semicircolare, preserve a Baroque imprint in the side altars and in the plasters. And' enriched by valuable wooden works among which:
a choir coming from a Franciscan Church.
a pity with I drape in cartapesta of good datable merit to the seccs. XV-XVI.
a crucifix policromo of the sec. XV-XVI.
a dated gilded tabernacle 1632 and attributable to D. Bonfini
four Altarpieces of notable interest:
"The last Supper" of P. Gaia, 1596
"Queen Sanctorium Omnium" of G. B. and F. Ragazzini from Ravenna, 1583;
"Deposition" of A. Vitali, student of the Baroque ones (centuries XVI-XVII);
"Circumcision" of P. Gaia, 1616.

In Castle plaza, more ancient zone of the country, polls the Tower Of Sighting only testimony of the native medieval nucleus.

And more times been rehandled during the centuries. Under the arc, realized in the '600, a coat of arms is set to form of shield, unfortunately not decipherable.

In the plaza it is to notice Building MALASPINA, the structure it is composed from two buildings: that adjoining in the tower of the '500 and the other of the '600. Both, have been unfortunately object of a little prudent restructurings. They still introduces well preserved the five-seventeenth-century portals.

I crossed Ipogei sec. XVI-XVII. The buildings of the historical center, preserve to their inside, portions of undergrounds with passages and secret camminamenti that once connected different zones of the country.

The Suburb of the country is characterized from a fifteenth-century plant and from different buildings among which: Building Tamburrini, characterized by an elegant faade and by a portal of the '700, the built Town Building englobing part of the old surrounded building and a tower where to the inside they are still visible an arciera and different datable architectural elements to the centuries XV and XVI.. Neighboring to the Town Building it is the arc of the death (sec. XV), the principal door of access in the suburb, is characterized by the two arcs, one to sixth reduced and one to sixth acute, joined from once to cruise tapered toward the arc to sixth acute.

Crossing the street Under the Towers four Towers they are met, two of which introduces l 'tall polygonal shoe, architectural element of defense that develops him between the end of the XV and the beginning of the XVI century to face the threats of the dawning artillery. In the towers they are still visible traces of brackets, archer and fire mouths.

One are situated to Stella of Monsampolo of the most ancient Churches of the ascolano: the Church of the SSs. Benedict and Mauro. And' relegated in a small band of earth among the river Tronto and the speedway Ascoli Mare. It made part of the ancient monastic complex of S. Benedetto probably founded in 918 and dependent from the mother abbey of Montecassino. Recently you/he/she has been assistant only St. Mauro to the denomination of the small church. The faade has been defaced by a remaking unfortunately, internally introduces an unique aisle with stumpy and irregular columns that sustain the thick times to cruise built in an indistinct style between the Gothic one and the Romanesque one. Of particular interest I am the apse semicircolare of the X century and the crypt. This last realized with material of Roman epoch, introduces the plant to Greek cross with to the center a rough altar.

Acquaviva Picena

A splendid country, chiesette disseminated among the fields and, in the suburb, the suggestive alleys and his/her splendid medieval Fortitude, historical symbol of the country and his/her greater wealth scenografica, among the most important fortresses of the region.

The country, to 365 meters s.l.m., on the hills that go down toward the Adriatic Sea, with to the shoulders the beautiful tops of the Sibylline mountains, offer a pleasant occasion, to few kilometers from the sea, around 6 from S. Benedetto of the Tronto, for a walk to the pure air among medieval alleys, to the discovery of churches of country, ancient convents, handicraft traditions and gastronomies.

Among the beautiful monuments of the historical center, besides the innumerable churches, the Gothic Door, the Tower of the clock and the town Building with his/her frescos.

The attractive historical center becomes wealthy besides of further suggestions thanks to the maintenance of precious tied up handicraft traditions to the use of the straw of wheat and the creation of the characteristic pagliaroles, typical baskets woven to hand.

I Sibillini

A mountainous chain that is risen in the heart of Italy up to reach, with the M. Vettore the 2.476 ms. And' here, in the kingdom of the mythical Sibilla that in 1993 the Park was born National Sibylline Mountains (over 70.000 it has) with the purpose to safeguard the environment, to promote a sustainable partner-economic development and to favor the fruition to every category of people yes to create a "Park for all". Wolf, royal eagle, hawk wandering and numerous endemic kinds are the most evident signs of a difference and a biological wealth that, together to the charm of the abbeys and the historical centers medioevali, disseminated to manner of crown to the strata of the mountainous group, you/they have contributed to determine an ancient and suggestive world where the time seems, still today, to be stopped him to make free to a reality of so extraordinary beauty.