Macerata Feltria, the village divided between the Castle and the Mercatale

Macerata Feltria, included among the Most Beautiful Villages of Italy, boasts ancient origins that date back to the Roman municipality of Pitinum Pisaurense, founded in the 3rd century BC and mentioned by Pliny among the centers of the sixth Augustan region. The current name derives from the ruins of the city destroyed by the Goths in 552, upon which, in the 11th century, the new settlement arose. In the Middle Ages it became an important free Commune, first tied to the Malatesta and later conquered by Federico da Montefeltro, becoming part of the Duchy of Urbino. From the seventeenth century it was enriched with noble residences built by families connected to the Papal government. In 1849 it welcomed Giuseppe and Anita Garibaldi as they fled from Rome, and in memory the first monument in Italy to the Unknown Garibaldian was erected here.

The beauties of Macerata Feltria

The village of Macerata Feltria is divided into two areas: above, the castle of Lombard origin, and below, the Mercatale, which developed in the sixteenth century on the site of the old market. Walking along Via Ugo Bassi one encounters the Teatro dei Condòmini, the eighteenth‑century Palazzo Antimi Clari with its private chapel, and Palazzo Gentili Belli, connected to a nineteenth‑century silk mill, an example of industrial archaeology. Not far away stand the sixteenth‑century Mulino delle Monache and several rural structures linked to the agricultural development of Montefeltro.

Climbing towards Via Antimi, one discovers the Church of Santa Chiara, with two fine eighteenth‑century altar frontals, the Pitinum Thermal Establishment built in 1914, and the Angelo Battelli Theatre dating to 1933. The Church of San Michele Arcangelo preserves a rare wooden crucifix from 1396 by Olivuccio di Ceccarello.

Ascending to the castle, one encounters the fourteenth‑century Church of San Francesco, today home to the Museum of Vintage Radios, and the Church of San Giuseppe, rich in furnishings and decorations. Worthy of note are the Evangelisti and Valturio palaces, both frescoed. In Piazza Abstemio rise the Palazzo del Podestà and the Civic Tower, part of the Civic Museum. From here one can access the archaeological area of Pitinum Pisaurense and the Romanesque parish church of San Cassiano, with Roman remains and medieval sculptures.

Events in the village

Macerata Feltria enlivens the year with events that combine tradition and conviviality. In March the Fiera di San Giuseppe offers flower and plant exhibitions, food stands, and a conference on agriculture in inland areas. In summer, the Thursdays of June and July are dedicated to Cinema under the Stars, while July also hosts the Festival of Volunteering with a running race. In August the village comes alive with Preziosi d’Epoca, a parade of fashion and jewelry, and with Estate in Festa, held from August 14 to 16, featuring music and the flavors of Montefeltro. On September 29 the feast of the Patron Saint Michael is celebrated, and on December 8 the village transforms into the Land of Wonders, a Christmas market full of surprises.

photo credits Patrizia Molinari