Maceratese

<< Marche

The hilly territory of the Province of Macerata occupies the central part of Marche. This province houses various beautiful towns among the hills and mountains, which house numerous historic attractions. Among these are Macerata, Recanati, Tolentino, and Camerino.

Macerata

Macerata is a city located among the hills of Marche. The town has its origins in the Roman city of Helvia Recina. After this town was destroyed by the Goths, people moved to the hills founding the modern town of Macerata. In the Late Middle Ages, the city was a free comune, and was later ruled by the Papal States. During that time, the town flourished as the seat of a bishopric and a university. Macerata now hosts a few historic attractions.

✪ Sphaeristerium of Macerata

The Sphaeristerium (Sferisterio) is an open-air theater built in Macerata in the 19th century. Originally used as a sports arena, it has hosted musical events and plays since 1921, and it is now the main venue of the Macerata Opera Festival. The building features a series of Neoclassical columns and decorations in the style of ancient Roman theaters. Adjacent to the entrance is Porta Picena, one of the ancient city gates of Macerata.

Piazza della Libertà

Piazza della Libertà is the main square of the old town of Macerata, dating from the Renaissance. The square is surrounded by various historic buildings, such as the 16th-century Loggia dei Mercanti, the Civic Tower (Torre Civica) featuring an astronomical clock, and the 18th-century theater Teatro Lauro Rossi.

Palazzo Buonaccorsi

Palazzo Buonaccorsi is an 18th-century palace in Macerata, which features various richly adorned and frescoed halls and many Baroque decorations. The palace hosts an art gallery with works dating from the Late Middle Ages to the 20th century, and an exhibition of historic carriages.

Archaeological Area of Helvia Recina

Helvia Recina was an ancient Roman city located near the modern town of Macerata, destroyed and abandoned around the 6th century. The Archaeological Area of Helvia Recina (Area Archeologica di Helvia Recina) now features the ruins of the Roman theater of the ancient city.

Recanati

Recanati is a town in the Province of Macerata, best known as the birthplace of poet Giacomo Leopardi. Founded during the Middle Ages, the town was a free comune and was later ruled by the Papal States. For centuries it flourished as a trade center, and it hosted several artists.

Colle dell’Infinito

Also known as: Monte Tabor

The Colle dell’Infinito is a hill in Recanati, known for being mentioned in the poem L’infinito by Giacomo Leopardi. The hill now features a botanical garden and a panoramic terrace. The birthplace of the poet, known as Palazzo Leopardi, is located nearby and serves as a museum.

Piazza Giacomo Leopardi

Piazza Giacomo Leopardi is the main square of Recanati, surrounded by various historic buildings. The 19th-century town hall occupies one side of the square, while a medieval tower called Torre del Borgo is on the northwestern corner. On the southern side of Piazza Giacomo Leopardi is the Church of San Domenico, a Gothic church dating from the 13th century.

Civic Museum Villa Colloredo Mels

The Civic Museum Villa Colloredo Mels (Museo Civico Villa Colloredo Mels) is a museum hosted in a historic palace in Recanati. Its collection includes an archaeological section with several finds unearthed around the city, and an art gallery featuring works dating between the 14th and 20th century. The most famous work hosted here is the Recanati Polyptych (Polittico di Recanati) by Lorenzo Lotto, painted in the early 16th century.

Cingoli

Cingoli is a town located on the side of a mountain in the Province of Macerata. The town is known as the “Balcony of Marche” (Balcone delle Marche) thanks to its position that offers a panoramic view over the hills of the region.

Collegiate Church of Sant’Esuperanzio

The Collegiate Church of Sant’Esuperanzio (Collegiata di Sant’Esuperanzio) is a Gothic church in Cingoli, erected during the Late Middle Ages. The church features various Gothic decorations and a series of ancient frescoes painted between the 14th and 16th century.

State Archaeological Museum of Cingoli

The State Archaeological Museum of Cingoli (Museo Archeologico Statale di Cingoli) is an archaeological museum hosted inside the town hall of Cingoli, which was built between the Late Middle Ages and the Renaissance. The museum houses a collection of finds unearthed around the town and dating between the Paleolithic and the late Roman age.

Tolentino

Tolentino is a town located among the hills of the Province of Macerata. Inhabited since prehistoric times, the city houses a few historic attractions.

Basilica of San Nicola da Tolentino

The Basilica of San Nicola da Tolentino is a church in Tolentino erected starting in the Late Middle Ages. The church features an elaborate facade with various Gothic elements, while the interior houses mainly Baroque decorations. The basilica hosts various adorned chapels, most notably the Cappellone di San Nicola, which features a rich series of frescoes painted in the 14th century by Pietro da Rimini.

Tolentino Cathedral

Also known as: Cathedral of San Catervo (Cattedrale di San Catervo)

The Tolentino Cathedral (Duomo di Tolentino) is a historic church in Tolentino. Originally built in Gothic style during the Late Middle Ages, it was reworked as a Neoclassical church in the 19th century. The cathedral houses an elaborate Roman sarcophagus dating from the 4th century.

Chiaravalle di Fiastra Abbey

The Chiaravalle di Fiastra Abbey (Abbazia di Chiaravalle di Fiastra) is a Cistercian abbey located east of Tolentino and near Urbisaglia. Built during the Late Middle Ages, it features a blend of Romanesque and Gothic elements, and for centuries it flourished as one of the main religious sites in the region. The complex houses various ancient frescoes and it is surrounded by a large park.

Urbisaglia

Urbisaglia is a small town located near Tolentino in the Province of Macerata. Founded by the Romans as Urbs Salvia, it was later destroyed and rebuilt on top of a hill, and now it features a few historic landmarks.

Rocca of Urbisaglia

The Rocca is a 16th-century castle in Urbisaglia, built by the rulers of Tolentino. The fort features imposing towers and walls and it can be visited. Adjacent to the castle is the Church of San Lorenzo, built between the 18th and 19th century.

Archaeological Park of Urbs Salvia

The Archaeological Park of Urbs Salvia (Parco Archeologico di Urbs Salvia) is an archaeological area that includes the ruins of the Roman town of Urbs Salvia. Here are the ruins of an amphitheater, a theater, a temple, and a few other structures. An archaeological museum in Urbisaglia hosting many finds unearthed here is currently being restored after being damaged by an earthquake in 2016.

Camerino

Camerino is a town in the Province of Macerata, known for its medieval old town and its ancient university. In the Late Middle Ages it was a free comune and then a small duchy, before being annexed to the Papal States in the 16th century.

Ducal Palace of Camerino

The Ducal Palace (Palazzo Ducale) is a Renaissance building in the old town of Camerino. Originally the residence of the local rulers, now it houses the seat of the University of Camerino, which was founded in the Late Middle Ages. A botanical garden built in the 19th century is behind the palace, while the Camerino Cathedral (Duomo di Camerino), also erected in the 19th century, stands next to it, facing the main square of the town. Most of the old town of Camerino was damaged by an earthquake in 2016.

Visso

Visso is a village located among the mountains of the Province of Macerata. Known for its beautiful old town, it was damaged by an earthquake in 2016.

Sanctuary of Macereto

The Sanctuary of Macereto (Santuario di Macereto) is a religious complex located among the mountains near Visso. The sanctuary was built over some previous structures in the 16th century, and it is one of the best examples of Renaissance architecture in the region. The church has an octagonal plan and it features a small temple inspired by the Santa Casa of Loreto.