Villagrande: Pavisa’s Art, Spring and Surroundings

Villagrande brings together the works of painter Ciro Pavisa, religious culture, local olive oil production and a diverse surrounding area. The Church of Santa Susanna is particularly significant: it preserves some of Pavisa’s early major works and offers a tangible introduction to his art through a 14-part Way of the Cross painted in 1968.

Santa Susanna and the traces of Ciro Pavisa

The Church of Santa Susanna houses the Way of the Cross painted by Ciro Pavisa in 1968 on canvas and plywood. Via di Ciro Pavisa runs through Villagrande and also includes the Church of Santa Susanna, which is decorated with the artist’s original frescoes. Before being relocated to Villagrande, the church was restored and expanded from a Greek-cross floor plan to a Latin-cross floor plan.

The religious character of the townscape also includes the Edicola di Villagrande. It is one of approximately nine religious wayside shrines still found in the municipality of Mombaroccio today. Such shrines serve as destinations for processions and Marian pilgrimages. The feast day of Santa Susanna falls on the third Sunday in July and complements Villagrande’s year-round connection with religious art and local tradition.

Museums and palaces in the surrounding area

Several culturally significant destinations are also located outside Villagrande. The Museo della Civiltà Contadina, Grotte, Arte Sacra is situated near Villagrande. The surrounding area also includes Villa Augusta, the Villa Miralfiore Museum and the Ducal Palace. For a trip focused on sacred art, rural culture, historic buildings and museums, Villagrande therefore offers a range of themes without requiring a single place to define the entire stay.

Spring, landscape and beaches

The restored and operational Fonte del Pontaccio spring supplies oligomineral water, which is also bottled by people from other places. The Monte San Bartolo mountain is also located near Villagrande. The Miramare Beach, Bagni Due Palme and Arzilla beaches are likewise nearby. This geographical selection combines a specific natural site in Villagrande with additional landscape and beach destinations in the surrounding area.

Olive oil from the municipality

A local culinary speciality is associated with L'ARTIST. Alfiero Vagnini’s company produces extra virgin olive oil from olives grown in its own olive groves in the municipality of Mombaroccio and bottles it at its facility in Villagrande, Via della Celletta.

Geographical orientation

From Pesaro, the route continues via Santa Maria dell’Arzilla and Villagrande to Mombaroccio; the distance is approximately 20 km. This sequence places Villagrande within the route connecting Pesaro, Santa Maria dell’Arzilla and Mombaroccio.

Discover more places

Petriano, Monte Porzio, Ca' Romano I, Montemaggiore Al Metauro, Monteciccardo, Bargni, Cuccurano and Colbordolo.

For the broader travel overview: Pesaro - Urbino.