Description of the attraction
Civitanova Marche is a seaside resort located on the Adriatic coast in the Marche region, 40 km southeast of Ancona and 25 km from Macerata.
The city was founded at the mouth of the Chienti River around the 8th century BC. by the Pichen people, and bore the name of Kluana. The Romans captured it in 268 BC, and in 50 AD. laid a new settlement in its place - Kluentis Vicus. Old Kluana was finally destroyed by the Visigoths, and its inhabitants took refuge in Vicus. In the Middle Ages, the city passed from hand to hand - it was ruled by Aldonesi, da Varano, Malatesta, Sforza and Visconti. In 1440, on the orders of Francesco Sforza, a new line of defensive walls was built, and a fortress was erected on the territory of the port. In the 16th century, as a result of the raids of Turkish pirates and the outbreak of the plague, Civitanova began to decline. But in 1551, Pope Julius III handed the city over to the Cesarini family, who expanded its territory, erected new defensive walls, built roads and palaces. In 1938, Porto Civitanova and Civitanova Alta merged into one municipality. Today it is a recognized seaside resort.
In the old part of the city - Civitanova Alta on a hill - the walls of a medieval castle and four ancient gates have been preserved. There you can also see the Palazzo della Delegazione, built in 1867, the 17th century San Paolo churches, the 13th century Sant'Agostino with sumptuous stucco work and the 14th century San Francesco with a Gothic portal. In the central square of Piazza della Liberta stands the Palazzo Ducale, built for Cesarini Sforza in the 16th century. Inside it, there are frescoes by Pellegrino Tybaldi. Also noteworthy are the local museums - the Museum of Folk Art, the Museum of Equestrian Uniforms and the Moretti Gallery of Contemporary Art. And in the northern part of Civitanova, there is a beautiful alley of Vittorio Veneto.
The port area - Porto Civitanova - is the center of business activity and a kind of resort suburb, where the main city beaches are located.
