Rotella: sacred art, historic buildings and routes

Rotella combines historic buildings, sacred art, and trekking and cycling routes. In the town centre stands the imposing Torre dell’Orologio from the 15th century. Rotella’s sacred art includes the Chiesa Collegiata dei SS. Maria e Lorenzo and the Museo Ciccolini – Museo d’arte sacra.

Baroque church and works of art

The Chiesa Collegiata dei SS. Maria e Lorenzo is a single-nave Baroque church dating from 1767. It was built based on a design by Lazzaro Giosafatti. Inside, there is a polychrome terracotta Pietà from the 15th century. The church building from 1767 and the Pietà from the 15th century belong to different periods. Polychrome terracotta is fired clay with multicoloured decoration. There are no architectural barriers at the entrance.

The Museo Ciccolini – Museo d’arte sacra offers another perspective on sacred culture. It houses numerous reliquaries, including a reliquary of San Fortunato from 1509 attributed to Pietro Paolo de Aurificis. A reliquary is a container for relics. A statuette of the Apostle Peter dating from the 17th century is also on display. The statuette is therefore younger than the reliquary from 1509. Several centuries separate the two objects.

Churches in the contrade

The Chiesa del Verdiente, dating from the 11th century, stands in the Contrada Icone. In the Contrada Torbidello, in a small clearing at the foot of Monte Ascensione, lies the Santuario della Madonna della Consolazione. It is also known as Montemisio. Depending on the context, contrada refers to a district or a local area.

Trekking and cycling routes

The “Da Rotella al Monte Ascensione” route is a trekking route rated difficulty E, with an elevation gain of 708 m. The “Anello Meridionale del Monte dell'Ascensione” is a cycling route rated difficulty E, with an elevation gain of 335 m. All three routes are classified as difficulty E. When planning the day, the two routes at Monte Ascensione have elevation gains of 708 m and 335 m respectively.

The “Cappuccini – Tappa 15” trekking stage leads from Montefalcone Appennino to Rotella and is also rated difficulty E. This stage is listed as being 21 km long, with an elevation gain of 500 m. On the 21 km-long stage, the length and 500 m elevation gain can be factored into the day’s planning alongside the difficulty rating E. In the municipality of Rotella, there are also routes and paths in GPX format. The GPX format supplements the routes with a digital basis for personal planning.

Regional culinary connections

The culinary connections of the “Percorsi Sibillini Romantici” include truffles, Rosa apples, and Marroncino. Alongside the sacred buildings and routes, these culinary connections add a distinct regional accent.

Further destinations for orientation

San Silvestro, Venarotta, Venagrande, Ripatransone, Montefiore Dell'aso, Cossignano, Campolungo, Spinetoli

For the higher-level travel overview: Ascoli Piceno.