Story of Ancona

Looking at the geographical paper of Italy is noticed that the Boot, inflating itself to the center, it pushes toward the Adriatic sea a small promontory, and really on this prominence Ancona rises, Greek word that means elbow. The elbow is born from the Conero mountain and lengthens on the sea with a parade of cliffs, that you/they take various names: Beam, Short step and Hen. Between the Short step and the I Bring the cliffs they form three necks: the Cardeto, the Cappuccinis (already St. Cataldo) and the Guasco (already Cumerio). At south., crowned from the bastions of the Citadel, there is the Hill Astagno. As the whole other places of the adriatic coast, Ancona sees to get out of himself/herself/themselves the sun from the sea, but it is the alone one that, because of the elbow, in the summer season it also enjoys the sunset on the sea.

Built on two hills that form an amphitheatre around the harbour, it was settled in the 4th century BC by Greek colonists from Syracuse. The oldest part of town straddles Colle Guasco, the hill above the port. On its peak, high above the agitation of the modern city, stands Ancona's finest church and its most obvious landmark, the Medieval Cathedral of San Ciriaco, a pleasing mix of Romanesque and Gothic. To see the rest of the best, start your walk from the bottom of Corso Stamira down by the ferry docks. After noting the Venetian-Gothic facade of the ruined church of San Agostino cut across to nearby Piazza della Repubblica where Corso Garibaldi and Corso Mazzini start (the other two Corsi that complete the city's trinity of parallel main streets). The 19th century Teatro delle Muse that boxes in the square has been in restauro for rather some time. From here take a brief detour up Corso Mazzini to see the 16th century Fontana del Calamo, a regimented row of 13 masked spouts. Back down in Piazza della Repubblica, amble along Via della Loggia to see the statue-decked Loggia dei Mercanti, an outstanding example of florid Late Venetian-Gothic (the influence of Venice is never very far away here).

Further on is the singular 13th century front of Santa Maria della Piazza, rows of blind arches and plenty of fidgety carving. Inside, a glass panel in the pavement allows you to see the remains of the even older church below. From Via della Loggia walk up to Piazza del Plebiscito ruled over by a resplendent if cracked statue of Pope Clement XII. Over his shoulder is the Neoclassical Church of San Domenico with a stirring Titian Crucifixion above the high altar. As you climb up from the square on Via Pizzecolli you are in the heart of the oldest part of the city. Palazzo Bosdari guards Ancona's Pinacoteca; paintings to look for here are Crivelli's chilly Madonna and Child, Titian's Virgin with Child and Saints, and Lorenzo Lotto's Sacra Conversazione. As you wind onwards and upwards through deserted Piazza del Senato and up Via Giovanni XXIII you will catch glimpses of the ruins of the Roman amphitheatre behind. A last effort and you are on the summit of Colle Guasco, with breath-taking views out to sea and the white, wind-blown face of the Cathedral behind you. Now take a sprightly walk back down for a fish lunch or oysters by the fountain.