ART AND CULTURE:
Urbino is the Renaissance of the new millennium. Its Ducal Palace, built
for the grand duke Federico da Montefeltro, with its stately rooms,
towers and magnificent courtyard forms a perfect example of the
architecture of the time.
Today, the building still houses the
Galleria Nazionale delle Marche (The Marche region National Gallery)
with precious paintings by Piero della Francesca, Laurana and Raphael,
whose house has been transformed into a museum. Not to be missed, are
the fifteenth century frescoes of the oratory of San Giovanni and the
"Presepio" or nativity scene of the Oratory of St. Giuseppe.
The city of
Pesaro is the home of the precious mosaics of its cathedral, the Pinacoteca
(art gallery), the Maiolica Museum and the
Oliveriano Archaeology Museum, Villa
Imperiale, on the hill of San Bartolo and Villa Caprile. Fano, instead,
has its Corte Malatestiana, its
Pinacoteca (art gallery) and Archeological Museum, and the tombs of
the Malatesta family. Fossombrone houses the Quadreria moderna Cesarini
(Cesarini Gallery of Modern Art).
In Pergola, the Museo dei Bronzi
dorati (Gilded Bronzes Museum) and the Pinacoteca (Art Gallery). In
Urbania, Palazzo Ducale (the Ducal Palace) houses the Biblioteca storica
(Historical Library), the Museum and Pinacoteca (Art Gallery).
Pennabilli has its
Museo Diocesano (Diocesan Museum). In Apecchio, the
Fossil Museum and in Cagli, the church of St. Domenico and its
frescoes by Giovanni Santi, father of Raphael. The church of St. Maria
d'Antico in Maiolo houses the Madonna delle Grazie by Luca della Robbia.
Saint Leo, with its intriguing Fort, still steeped in the legend of Cagliostro, is perched on a
rocky outcrop looking out over the province and, at the same time, back
through the centuries. In addition to the castle, there are also
medieval churches and other religious buildings.
In the hills overlooking the sea stands the still-intact citadel of Gradara, with its fascinating castle evoking the love between Paolo and
Francesca, immortalized by Dante in his Divine Comedy.
The
Castle of Mondavio stands proud, dominating the valleys of the river
Metauro and the Cesano. Still today, it is possible to breath the
atmosphere of times gone by: the rooms of the castle are “alive” with
waxworks of cavaliers and their ladies, complete with costumes and
lighting of the era.
The
Castle at Sassocorvaro had a very important historical function, in
that many of the outstanding Italian works of art were hidden and
preserved here by Giuseppe Rotondi during the Second World War.
Piandimeleto is the location of the “Castello dei conti Oliva”, while in
Carpegna, at the foot of the mountain of the same name, stands the
monumental Palazzo dei principi (Princes’ Palace).
Other important
fortifications designed by Francesco di Giorgio Martini can be found at
Montecerignone and Sant'Agata Feltria. Along the route of the river
Metauro stand the three Corti Ducali (Ducal Courts) of Fossombrone, the
Palazzo ducale (Ducal Palace) and the Barco of Urbania, the latter being
the hunting lodge of the Montefeltro family, and the Municipal building
and tower at Sant'Angelo in Vado. High up the river Candigliano, the
Castle of the Brancaleoni family overlooks the small hamlet of
Piobbico. The solitary castle of Frontone stands on the slopes of monte
Catria looking down on its hamlet.
RELIGOUS TOURISM:
In addition to the Romanesque cathedrals of Pesaro and Fano, other
religious buildings that merit particular attention are the Abbey of San
Vincenzo at Furlo, the Abbey of Lamoli at Borgo Pace and the Abbey of
S.Tommaso in Foglia, just outside Pesaro, the church of S. Agostino at
Cantiano, the church and Duomo of San Leo, the church of S. Sisto at
Carpegna, that of S. Cassiano at Macerata Feltria and that of Ponte
Messa at Pennabilli.
A meeting place of faith and history is the
thousand-year old Eremo di Fonte Avellana. The sanctuary, which stands
at the foot of monte Catria, was founded by San Pierdamiani and where
the poet Dante was once a guest.
Other ancient centers of devotion
include the Francescan sanctuary of the Beato Sante at Mombaroccio, the
sanctuary of the Madonna del Faggio at Carpegna, the image of the
Madonna delle Lacrime at Pennabilli, the Crucifix by Giotto at
Talamello, the temple of the Madonna del Sasso, near Pergola, the church
of the Madonna del Pelingo, between Furlo and Acqualagna, the Santuario
del Crocifisso at Casteldimezzo, the Cristo Morto in the Oratorio della
Grotta at Urbino, the Santuario della Madonna delle Grazie in Pesaro,
and the Santuario della Madonna del Ponte Metauro in Fano.
Pesaro - Photo © 