Sant'Elpidio a Mare: History, Art and August Traditions

Sant'Elpidio a Mare lies on a hill above the Chienti and Tenna valleys. Reconstruction on the Colle della Pieve began in 1380 and shaped the present-day historic centre. For you, this means the town combines scenery, historic architecture, art, craftsmanship and festive traditions.

Historic Centre and the City's History

The historic centre is located in the area that once belonged to the Roman city of Cluana. The medieval village, known as the “Castello di Sant'Elpidio”, was established on the hill in the 11th century, at whose summit stands the Church of Madonna dei Lumi. The Palazzo Comunale was built in the 14th century as the Palazzo dei Priori. The council chamber displays works by Vittore Crivelli, Ernst Van Schayck and Tizianello.

Art and Museums

The Teatro Luigi Cicconi, built in 1872, is located in the historic centre on Corso Baccio. Its historic curtain is a tempera painting created in 1873 by Ferdinando Cicconi, depicting notable figures from the Marche region. The former monastery of the Oratorian Fathers houses the “Vittore Crivelli” Civic Art Gallery and the Shoe Museum, which bears the name of its initiator and founder, Cav. Vincenzo Andolfi.

The “Vittore Crivelli” Civic Art Gallery preserves Vittore Crivelli's Polittico dell’Incoronazione e Santi and Trittico della Visitazione con la Pietà. It also displays the large 1564 altarpiece Assunzione by Girolamo Dente (Tizianello). The Fossil Museum is a permanent exhibition resulting from the work of local researchers from Sant'Elpidio a Mare and is housed at the headquarters of Contrada San Giovanni. Its exhibits come from the Palaeozoic, Mesozoic, Cainozoic and Neozoic eras and illustrate geological changes in Italy, particularly in the Marche region.

Towers, Churches and Orientation

The Chiesa del Santissimo Sacramento was built in the 13th century by the Knights of the Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem. The Torre Gerosolimitana is 28 metres high and stands at the highest point in the town, on Piazza Civica. The municipal cultural and tourist office offers guided tours of the historic centre and the Torre Gerosolimitana. This allows architecture, painting and urban history to be considered as interconnected themes when planning your trip.

Religious Traditions and August Dates

Sant'Elpidio a Mare is one of the important and well-known centres of the Fermo-Macerata footwear district. The Santuario della Madonna degli Angeli was built with the intention of replicating the Porziuncola di Santa Maria degli Angeli in Assisi. The festival in honour of the Madonna degli Angeli is celebrated every year on 1 August, on the eve of the Perdono di Assisi. In the second week of August, the Contesa del Secchio takes place, a historical re-enactment in which four of the town's contrade compete against one another in an old ball-game tradition.

When planning your accommodation, you can decide whether historic buildings and collections, the regional footwear tradition, or the religious and historical August events should be the focus. This allows you to choose a hotel for your stay based on your personal interests, without blending together the different sides of Sant'Elpidio a Mare.

Other Places for Planning Your Trip

If you would like to compare other places, you can also find Magliano di Tenna, Montefalcone Appennino, Monte Urano, Rapagnano, Monteleone di Fermo, Montegiorgio, Massa Fermana and Monterubbiano here.

For the higher-level travel overview: Fermo.