3533 Some background information

Some background information, which is based on article (published in the April 2005 issue) that I submitted to the magazine.

[I]The Marche first entered written history during the Stone Age, although it wasn’t until the Iron Age that its fate seemed to be decided with the arrival of the first rural settlements. The major step towards civilisation followed the arrival of the Piceni between the 10th and 9th centuries B.C. The Piceni were warlike, industrious, artistic and relatively wealthy. Around the first half of the 3rd century B.C., they brokered an alliance with Rome, but it was only a matter of time before the Romans gained the upper hand by taking control of the entire territory, which they recognised as a strategically important centre for trade. Taking advantage of the principal routes: the Via Salaria and Via Flaminia, the Romans went about their business in building the Marche into a self-sufficient outpost. [/I]

[I]After the break up of the Roman Empire, the remaining inhabitants were driven from power, enduring a stormy era of destruction and devastation at the hands of the aggressive barbarian invaders eager to possess all of the wealth that Central Italy’s natural resources could provide. More periods of turmoil followed as a direct result of church rule and the subsequent spread of feudalism. In the end, feudal barons seized power and the territory was divided into autonomous states governed by the Malatesta dynasty in Fano and the Montefeltro and della Rovere dynasties in Urbino. [/I]

[I]For almost three hundred years the political situation in the Marche remained unstable. But the abolition of feudal rule finally came during the 16th century when Cesare Borgia attempted to consolidate his power in central Italy. Although he failed, his actions helped the church widen its influence, with territorial power again shifting into the hands of the Papal State. The Marche then became imperial border provinces of the Holy Roman Empire (the name first appeared in the 1815 Congressional Acts of Vienna - before that, the territory was referred to as Marca Anconitana and Marca Firmana etc) and part of the newly united Italy after the battle of Castelfidardo in 1860. [/I]

[I][COLOR=black]The 19th and 20th centuries were dogged by popular discontent, resulting in mass emigration as people [/COLOR]abandoned the Marche in a desperate search for a better life abroad. Unemployment and poverty led to demonstrations and strikes and in June 1914, just before outbreak of the First World War, tragedy struck during the settimana rossa (red week) when mobs in Ancona vented their anger at troops who had opened fire on the demonstrating strikers.[/I]

[I]The harsh economic conditions and ever-escalating uncertainty of the 1920’s gave rise to further extremes as socialism, followed by the explosion of fascism, unleashed more violence, disruption and disorder. During the 1940’s the Marche, like the rest of central Italy, became deeply bound up in the conflict of the Second World War. By 1943 the region was occupied yet again: this time by the German army fleeing north from Rome. Once again the security of the Marche was seen to be at stake until the allied offensive, whose objective was to breach the formidable Gothic line, liberated the provincial capitals of Ascoli, Macerata, Ancona and Pesaro.[/I]

[I][COLOR=black]When the o[/COLOR]ppressive[COLOR=black] mezzadria was finally [/COLOR]dismantled following post-war reconstruction, farming was gradually replaced by family-run enterprise. This gave rise to a booming economy that lasted from the 1960’s to the 1980’s. In fact, the marchigiani still have a talent for business and if there’s a single, common thread that permeates an outsider’s view of the Marche’s economic model today, it is the family business. Hats, wicker baskets, shoes, fashion, furniture, musical instruments, paper manufacturing (the filigrana paper watermark was invented here), fishing and lace making feature among some of the traditional entrepreneurial activities.[COLOR=#333333] T[/COLOR]he Marche also has about 100 well known brand names.[/I]

[I]The region has many rural districts and this is why it has managed to sustain many of its traditional values across the centuries. It is also why we are seeing a rinascimento della terra, with the production of highly commendable olive oil and wines. There are 5 Provinces: Ascoli Piceno, Fermo, Macerata, Ancona and Pesaro Urbino and given its backdrop of picturesque and impressive Sibillini Mountains, rolling hills, verdant countryside and numerous medieval towns and villages, the territory here is very inspiring. [/I]

Some of my favourite parts include the Urbino and Montefeltro, the Riviera del Conero and the rolling hills that extend south between Macerata and Ascoli Piceno.

Category

Do & See

My favourite place to see here is Urbino & especially the Ducal Palace as I am a "fan" of Federigo the famous Duke of Montefeltro. He was a condottiere, a patron of the arts and extremely learned. His portraits were always painted showing the left side of his face as apparently he only had one eye - his right eye being knocked out in a tournament as a young man. The Ducal Palace houses the famous painting of the Flagellation by P iero della Francesca which is said tobe the most famous small painting in the world. This shows the flagellation of Christ, but who are the 3 figures standing so nonchalently at the side? What was the real significance of the painting? Scholars still debate it. There are hundreds of beautiful painting in the Palace as it now houses the National Gallery of Le Marche. I am always intrigued by the studiolo of Federico in this palace. It is almost like a secret room and one comes across it by chance. This is a tiny room with a marvellous triumph of illusary perspective created with intarsia. Shelves seem to protrude from the walls, there is a pen on a table which you feel like picking up, a squirrel has jumped through a window is is robbing a bowl of fruit. As I say - illusary - but fascinating. Federico created a library which is said to have rivalled Oxford University, but this alas is no more - everything was robbed by the Vatican after Urbino fell to the Papacy in 1631. In every room of the palace are huge embellished fireplaces, no doubt they burned logs in their day and in the highly decorated ceilings is to be seen the coat of arms of Montefeltro -the eagle of Montefeltro surrounded by tongues of fire. Yes, as I say, one of my favourites places to visit. viva Federigo.

One of my favourite things about the Palazzo Ducale is that it still feels like Montefeltro's home - and not just a building used as a gallery.
You can look at the Duke's stables, and the Duchesses stables (one wonders quite why they needed a stables each!), and look at the bathrooms, and the way the water-collection and heating systems worked - all quite fascinating.
If you want to seriously look at the magnificent tromp-l'oeuil intarsio work in the Duke's study, do be sure to go at a quiet time (suggest something like 1pm on a Tuesday in January...) or you won't be able to get anywhere near it!

I always enjoy the classical views overlooking the city from the hills opposite.

For me, one of the most fascinating things about the Palazzo Ducale is the fact that a number of different architects were involved in helping Federico da Montefeltro make it a reality. It has to rank as one of the top architectural creations of the Renaissance.

There are also some interesting stories about mysterious and ghostly apparitions in the palace, one of which includes the tale of a servant girl who was accused of stealing food from the Dukes’s dining room. She apparently through herself from the stairs and it is said that her ghost appears in many of the rooms throughout the palace.
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Of course Urbino leads us to another of Le Marches famous sons-------Raphael-----born Raffaello Santi or Sanzio in Urbino in 1483.
His father was also a famous painter----- Giovanni Santi and one of his works can still be seen in the Palazzo Vasin in Gradara.
Umbria, Tuscany and Rome have Urbino and Le Marche to thank for one of the greatest Italian renaissance painters of all time.
The beauty and tranquility of Urbino must have moved his parents greatly to produce such a gifted son.
Many streets in this area take his name as does the airport at Ancona.

[LEFT][SIZE=2]Apart from the wonderful attractions that Urbino holds, it is of course a good base for exploring the Montefeltro.[/SIZE]

[LEFT][SIZE=2]Some places to visit:[/SIZE]

[SIZE=2]Gola del Furlo [/SIZE][/LEFT]
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[SIZE=2]Sassocorvaro and the rocca Ubaldinasca[/SIZE]

[LEFT][SIZE=2]Montefortino[/SIZE]
[LEFT][SIZE=2]San Girolamo[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]See the ancient rock formations at Pietrarubbia and Pietrafagnana [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]San Leo – the ancient capital of the ducato di Montefeltro – visit the Rocca di San Leo[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]Monte Carpegna [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]Montecerignano and the fortress [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]Sant’Agata Feltria and the Rocca Fregoso – not forgetting the International Truffle festival in October[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]Pennabilli [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]Parco Nazionale Sasso Simone e Simoncello[/SIZE]

[SIZE=2]Gastronomic delights include Prosciutto di Carpegna , Formaggio di Fossa Chiaserna bread and truffles.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=2]Will shortly post some pics.[/SIZE][/LEFT]
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Just to include a rather nice pic, taken at the end of March, while I was lying on a sun-bed at 6am, warm as toast, and admiring the distant snows. Location not very far from San Ginesio.

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As a proud "Anconetano" I found this website

[url]http://www.fabiofava.it[/url]

where you can find really beautiful pics of my place.

Let me know what you think;)

Chris I am having the same problem trying to locate Gradara.