Montedinove: Historic Centre, Culture and Panoramic Views

Montedinove among lanes, churches and panoramic views

Montedinove invites you to explore its historic centre step by step. A walk reveals architecture and a variety of urban details. In the centre are the municipal washhouses, the fountains of the Polesio aqueduct, the 14th-century coat of arms of the tailors’ guild and a characteristic 15th-century loggia. In this compact area, you will encounter different traces of the town’s history.

Architecture shaped by many eras

The Porta della Vittoria is a preserved 12th-century gateway in Montedinove. The Chiesa di Santa Maria de Cellis has a history that can be traced back to the 12th century: Benedictines from Farfa built the church together with an adjoining monastery. The Portale Santa Maria de Cellis is also visible on Piazza Novana. It has been bricked up and is dated to 1368. The Chiesa di Santa Maria de Cellis also contains a wooden crucifix from the 13th or 14th century.

The Santuario di San Tommaso Becket preserves relics of the martyr. Since its foundation between 1620 and 1646, the sanctuary has welcomed pilgrims from the Fermano area, the Ascolano area, part of Abruzzo and, more recently, Romagna. For visitors interested in culture, this site adds a religious and regionally connected dimension to Montedinove’s history.

Museum and Picenian past

The Museo archeologico Tombe Picene focuses on 20 restored Picenian tombs from the 6th or 7th century BC and their grave goods. The museum is housed in the monastic complex of the former 17th-century church of the Poor Clares. In this historic building complex, archaeological evidence meets the later history of sacred architecture.

Lu Spiazze and the view

You reach “Lu Spiazze” via the steep Via del Suffragio, which is partly laid out as a staircase. The inhabitants call an open space free of residential buildings, with an impressive view of the Monti Sibillini, “Lu Spiazze”. From Montedinove, the panoramic view also stretches from the Adriatic coast and Monte Conero to the Monti Sibillini and Gran Sasso d’Italia. This sense of space forms a clear contrast with the town’s lanes and historic buildings.

Apples, harvest and local festivals

The Mela Rosa dei Monti Sibillini apple is grown in Montedinove and is recognised as a Slow Food Presidio. On 1 May, the Festa del Piantar Maggio takes place in the central square. As a wish for a good and abundant harvest, a tree is planted. At the end of October or beginning of November, the event Sibillini in rosa follows in honour of the Mela Rosa. Farmers’ markets, tasting workshops, talks, music and traditional folk songs combine agricultural tradition with public cultural life.

Further traces of the town’s history

The right-hand side of the original small church at the Chiesa di San Lorenzo dates from the 10th or 11th century and is fully integrated into later alterations. The history of the fortifications can also be recognised in their names: After repelling an attack, Porta Marina was also known as Porta della Vittoria and Porta dei Santi Quaranta Martiri.

For further travel planning, you can also explore Marsia, Monsampolo Del Tronto, Folignano, Roccafluvione, Comunanza, Uscerno, Arquata Del Tronto and San Benedetto Del Tronto.

To the higher-level travel overview: Ascoli Piceno.