Marche itinerary: Staffolo

Staffolo

From Staffolo, the "Verdicchio's hill", you can admire one of the most beautiful landscapes of the Esino Valley: the crown of the mountains is dominated by the Mount St.Vicino.
It is the seat of the Golden Verdicchio, national prize for gastronomy.
Height 441 m.

Staffolo - Photo © BartX

History

According to the origin of its name (staffal = boundary pole, boundary mark), it was a fortified place situated in a boundary area during the Longobard Dukedom.
In the XVI century, some humanists suggested for its name a Greek origin from "staphyla'" (bunch of grapes).
The toponym Staffol appeared for the first time in 1150.
Differently from all the other castles of this area, Staffolo never joined, or only occasionally, the rural area of Jesi; as a result, it remained free with its own government and rules.

What to visit

The beautiful city center of Staffolo boasts several proofs of the freedom that existed during the Communal Age; furthermore, in the nearby, there are some interesting archaeological finds, dating back to the stone age and roman era.
A walk around the castle walls enables the visitor to see the different architectural orders, which are the result of several restorations along the centuries.

Remarkable are the two churches, dating back to the first years of the XIII century, that still maintain the original portal, even if they was restored in 1500-1600. Inside, there are a polyptych by the so called "Master of Staffolo" (XIV century) and a predella attributed to the school of Lotto (Parish Church of St. Egidio), a painting of Filippo Bellini, from Urbino, another one of Maffeo Verona and a wooden frame belonged to the Scoccianti (Church of St. Francis).

The Church of St. Mary of the Castelletta - keeps the souvenir of the naval battle of Lepanto (1571), which put an end to the Turkish expansion. Inside the church, there are four frescos, dating back to the second half of the XVI century, inscriptions on stone dated 1270 and attributed to the Master Jacopo from Cingoli, two wall candelabra and a shop frontal of the Scoccianti from Cupramontana.

Very interesting are also the two turrets (1300) and the two entrance doors to the city center: St. Egidio Door (restored in the XVI century) and St. Martin (XIII century).

Do not forget the beauty of the walks around the countryside and the stops by the ancient water sources of the Salmagina and Trocca.

Festivals

The Verdicchio Festival - 1st Sunday of August
Gastronomy National Prize "Golden Verdicchio" - September

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