Macerata

Macerata is an Italian town of 41 010 inhabitants, the capital of the province of the same name in the Marche region. The city stands on a hill 315 meters above sea level. between the Potenza river valley to the north and the Chienti river valley to the south; it is located 30 km west of the Adriatic Sea and about 60 km from the Umbria-Marche Apennines.

 

Climate

The climate of Macerata is typical of the hilly area of ​​the interior of the Marche region and has both Mediterranean and continental elements. The influence of the sea has its weight, being Macerata only 30 km from the coast, but a greater role in determining the city's climatic conditions must be recognized at the modest altitude (315 m) and the relative proximity of the Apennine mountains. Winter is usually quite cold and quite rainy. The fogs are far from infrequent and the snowfalls, although not occurring very often, are sometimes very intense and abundant (see the exceptional ones of January 2005 and February 2012, with accumulations around one meter). The greatest snowfall occurs with cold eruptions from the neighboring Balkans, ie from the east-north-east. But also perturbations from the north or north-west are able to cause snow falls, sometimes conspicuous. Even in the middle of winter there is no lack of mild and sunny periods, which associated with the garbino can lead to highs around + 15 / + 20 ° C.

The intermediate seasons are generally rich in rainfall and quite variable. Snowfalls and late frosts can occur as early as April, while in autumn there is no lack of early colds or remnants of summer. The summer season usually runs from June to September and is warm and rather sunny. The heat is much less intense and frequent than on the coast, but there are periods of intense heat. Even the lows remain high, especially on the hills and in the city center. Thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening, generally coming from the Apennine areas, are frequent in the summer brackets characterized by marked instability, which generally become more intense and prolonged in August.

 

History

Generally the origin of Macerata is traced back to the Roman city Helvia Recina, evolution of a pre-existing Italic city perhaps of the third century BC. inhabited by the Piceni. The remains of the Roman theater from the 2nd century AD they are today the most important testimony of the ancient city and testify to the prosperity of the settlement; in the 4th or 5th century the invasions of the Goths forced most of the Ricinese to move to the hills where the medieval centers of Macerata and Recanati were founded.

In 1320 the decision of Pope John XII to grant Macerata the bishopric resulted in both an increase in population and an increase in political importance for the city thanks to loyalty to the Papal State. In the second half of the thirteenth century. almost everywhere the municipal systems were transformed into lordships and this also happened in Macerata, the exercise of power passed into the hands of a single individual representative of the bourgeois forces.

The sixteenth century was the golden age of the city, city life was characterized by a flourishing political and economic level, the works on the walls were completed and the central square was renovated. The century ends with a city completely transformed both in terms of construction and urban planning in the strict sense and above all the city is in clear expansion. It should be remembered that in the cultural fervor that saw the birth of many cultural academies in Italy in this century, on July 2, 1574, Gerolamo Zoppio - professor of poetics, rhetoric and moral philosophy at the University of Macerata, known for his studies on Dante and Petrarch - he founded the Accademia dei Catenati.

In the seventeenth century the centralization of powers in Rome, caused by the papal bull De Bono Regimine of Pope Clement VIII in 1592, made itself felt, after many years, also in terms of proximity to the Papal State; within the bourgeois class, which had strengthened over the years, the first Enlightenment ideas that came from abroad were taking root, fought with great enthusiasm by the clergy. The century ended with the arrival of the Napoleonic army, which had come down to Italy and had also occupied the Marches; the event brought great enthusiasm among the bourgeois and some commoners, because they saw their ideas of justice and freedom concretized. After a few moments, also given the suppression of religious orders and the strong fiscal pressure, the enthusiasm turned into a strong feeling of reaction, which in 1799 resulted in a hard motion that forced the Napoleonic troops to flee the city. These, however, returned stronger than before and after five days of battle, on July 5, they managed to make a breach and enter by giving themselves to looting.

Many Macerata took part in the 19th century campaigns for the independence of Italy. On 1 January 1849 the city was affected by the arrival of Giuseppe Garibaldi and his legion. In the same month the electoral campaign began, advertised by the government of the Republic with the elimination of the oppressive tax on ground coffee. The citizens of Macerata welcomed the publication of the decrees sanctioning future elections with enthusiasm, even voting for Garibaldi himself who, however, with 2 069 votes, came only thirteenth. Between the summer and the autumn of 1859 the Macerata liberal movement strengthened following Garibaldi's attempt to annex central Italy. He was then blocked by Vittorio Emanuele II due to the hostility of the Tuscan and Romagna governments. However, during this period the liberals from Macerata had gained a lot of support from the citizens, starting from the nobility and the bourgeoisie up to the lower classes, priests and part of the carabinieri. On 9 October 1860 Vittorio Emanuele II arrived in Macerata welcomed by great celebrations and by the commissioner in charge of the city, Luigi Tegas. The voting, concerning the annexation to the liberal state or the permanence in the papal state, took place between 4 and 5 November of that year. The vote expressed an almost total adherence to the ideals of the Kingdom of Sardinia: out of 4127 total votes in fact 99.44% of them welcomed the annexation to the Kingdom of Italy. It took place on December 17, 1860, with a decree signed in Naples by Vittorio Emanuele II.

 

With the advent of fascism, even in Macerata, there were serious problems of public order for political reasons; in fact, after the march on Rome, the fascists also took power in the city and hunted down the socialists. In the following years two moderate podestàs (Benignetti and Magnalbò) avoided serious acts of intolerance and promoted public works. Macerata was definitively liberated on 30 June 1944 by the partisans of the Bande Nicolò of commander Augusto Pantanetti. The economy returned to spin mainly thanks to agriculture, trade and the service sector, the real economic engine of the city in the 20th century. Around the fifties the main problem was to find a roof for the many displaced people so different areas were enlarged (the Casette, the Fosse, Ficana and the Vergini) and new popular neighborhoods were created such as: La Pace, the Casermette (i.e. San Francesco), the Marche district and in the following decades the Due Fonti, Collevario and Colleverde. In the eighties the city reached its maximum demographic peak thanks also to the construction of public housing in Piediripa, Sforzacosta and Villa Potenza. In the early nineties, as in much of Italy, a wave of immigration arrives.

 

Monuments and places of interest

Religious architectures
Cathedral of San Giuliano
Basilica of Santa Maria della Misericordia
Church of San Filippo Neri
Church of Santa Maria della Porta
Church of Santa Maria delle Vergini
Church of San Giovanni
Church of Santa Maria della Pace
Church of Santa Maria Immacolata
Church of the Sacred Heart
Church of San Giorgio
Church of San Michele Arcangelo
Church of San Francesco
Church of the Holy Mother of God
Church of the Holy Cross

Civil architectures
Sferisterio of Macerata
Buonaccorsi Palace
governament Palace
Compagnoni Marefoschi Palace
Civic tower (Torre dei Tempi) with astronomical clock.
Lauro Rossi Theater
Loggia dei Mercanti
Major source
The gates
Villa Compagnoni delle Lune in Cimarella
Motorhome

Archaeological areas
Helvia Recina

Parks and gardens
Diaz Gardens
Fontescodella Park

Villages
Borgo Villa Ficana

 

How to get here

By plane
The nearest airport is the Marche airport, and you can then continue by bus, car, or train.

By car
For those traveling on the Adriatic side, take the A14 motorway, exit Macerata-Civitanova Marche, then continue on the SS77 highway. Follow it for approximately 18 km and exit at the Macerata Sud/Corridonia junction. For those coming from the Tyrrhenian side, take the A1 motorway; for those coming from Florence: Val di Chiana exit, direction Perugia, Foligno, Colfiorito. For those coming from Rome: Orte exit, direction Terni, Foligno, Colfiorito. Take the SS77 towards Tolentino/Civitanova Marche: exit at the Macerata Ovest/Sforzacosta junction. Continue along the SP77/Strada Provinciale della Val Di Chienti, following the signs for Macerata and then for Macerata Centro.

On the train
From the north and south: arrive in Civitanova Marche, and continue to Macerata on the local train route or bus. From the west: arrive in Fabriano, and continue to Macerata on the local train route or bus.

By bus
Direct trips from Rome, Florence, Siena, Perugia, Salerno.

 

Society

Foreign ethnic groups and minorities

According to ISTAT data as of 31 December 2017, the resident foreign population was 3,792 people.

 

Traditions and folklore

Pistacóppi is the name by which the pigeons of Macerata are called and, as a consequence, this has become a joking nickname for the people of Macerata. Another traditional name of the people of Macerata is that of vrugnulù (plums). Although these names are part of the oral tradition, there is no shortage of publications that attest to their full-blown use.

 

Culture

Macerata joins the Association of Cities of Art and Culture. The Nuova Musica review, now in its 30th edition, was founded by Stefano Scodanibbio. It is worth mentioning the opera season in the original sferisterio which is held during the summer period; the theater also hosts the musical event Musicultura. The "Carlo Balelli" study center for the history of photography, founded in 2009, is based in Macerata and deals with the valorization of the Balelli Funds and the historical-photographic heritage of the Marche region. The annual votive pilgrimage to the Basilica of the Holy House of Loreto starts from Macerata. Two national publishers are based in Macerata, Liberilibri and the Quodlibet publishing house.

 

Chained Academy

The Accademia dei Catenati is an ancient cultural association founded in Macerata in the second half of the 16th century with the aim of reviving culture in central Italy. It represents one of the oldest literary circles in Italy, still active.

 

Sferisterio of Macerata

The Sferisterio of Macerata is an open-air theater located in the historic center of Macerata. A semi-circular arena originally intended for the game of bracelet football, subsequently re-adapted as a location for concerts and opera theatre, the only open-air arena with boxes, with acoustics defined as perfect by singers and orchestra conductors, and home to certain cultural festivals.

The building was designed in 1823 by the neoclassical architect Ireneo Aleandri (designer, among other things, of the Ariccia viaduct and the Teatro Nuovo "Gian Carlo Menotti" in Spoleto).

It has a maximum capacity of around 2500 seats (up to 3000, including the balcony) and since 1967 it has been known for the summer opera season, transformed into the "Sferisterio Opera Festival" in 2006 by the then artistic director Pier Luigi Pizzi, and in 2012 into "Macerata Opera Festival", by the artistic director Francesco Micheli, in office until 2017.

 

Philharmonic Society

At the beginning of the nineteenth century, Macerata was part of the Italian Kingdom. And as practiced in the most important European cities subjected to the authority of Napoleon Bonaparte, here too they wanted to create a gentlemen's club also in order to give greater prestige to the city. Thus the "Filodramatic Society" was established on 12 December 1808. The club's primary purpose was entertainment in the gaming rooms, dancing, convivial meetings, theatrical and opera performances. For many years the club also hosted a fencing room. The club, called the Philharmonic Society, is still operating with its original purposes. The company also has a modern summer headquarters.

 

Schools

University of Macerata
The University of Macerata was founded in 1290 with the reading of the edict throughout the region by Bartolo da Sassoferrato announcing the foundation of a law school in the city. The Macerata Historical Studies Center has been active since 1965.

Macerata Academy of Fine Arts
The Academy of Fine Arts of Macerata was established in 1972 to complement the university with its centuries-old tradition with an artistic academy.

 

Educational institutions

All the higher education institutions are located in Macerata and among them the Giuseppe Garibaldi higher education institution is of considerable importance, for the training of technicians and personnel for the development of agriculture and the rural environment.

 

Libraries

There are numerous libraries in the city:
Mozzi Borgetti municipal library
State Library of Macerata
Cassiano Beligatti Historical Library
Libraries of the University of Macerata
Historical Institute of the Resistance
State Archives of Macerata

 

Museums

Civic museums of Palazzo Buonaccorsi
Natural History Museum of Macerata
Palazzo Ricci Museum (where the Italian Twentieth Century Collection is preserved)
Ecomuseum of earthen houses in Borgo Villa Ficana (representation of the daily life of farmers)
Museum of the Risorgimento (under construction)
Museum of the Paolo and Ornella Ricca School
Diocesan Museum of Macerata
cinema's Museum
Weaving Month - La Tela

 

Cuisine

The typical Macerata dish is Vincisgrassi alla maceratese also known as "svinci", a sort of baked lasagna. The dish connotes Macerata and its area, so much so that its name was adopted by the zany pop group of the same name from Macerata. Instead, gnocchi or tagliatelle with duck are traditional dishes of the feast of the patron saint, San Giuliano.

 

Events

Macerata opera festival
Musiculture
New Music Review

 

Economy

Numerous multinational companies are located in the area, including Eismann, Gi Group, Seat Pagine Gialle, Adecco, El.En.. The presence of artisanal activities is also significant, such as the production of musical wind instruments and weaving aimed at creating carpets and other products characterized by fine artistic motifs; Goldsmith, ceramic and wicker work are also important.

 

Infrastructure and transport

The city has two exits of the SS 77 highway, Macerata west for those coming from Foligno and Macerata south for those coming from Civitanova Marche. Both are located 6 km from the city, i.e. in the hamlet of Sforzacosta and in the industrial area of Corridonia. Towards the north, i.e. Recanati, Loreto has an alternative route to Ancona, using the old route of the SS 77 which was later downgraded to provincial. Towards the south, i.e. Sarnano and Ascoli Piceno, we use provincial road 78.

For years there has been talk of creating an "intervalliva", a fast road that connects the Chienti valley with the Potenza valley, also acting as a ring road for the urban area of Macerata; is in the project phase through the "Quadrilatero Marche-Umbria", while in November 2008 a tunnel of approximately 800 m was opened which connects the southern part with the northern part of the city, which resolved the critical situation that was created in the center of the city clogged with vehicles, especially heavy ones.

 

Railways

The municipal territory is crossed by the Civitanova Marche-Fabriano railway, served only by regional trains.

Inside the town there are three railway stations: in addition to the Macerata station, located a short distance from the historic centre, there are the Macerata Fontescodella station, which serves the western neighbourhoods, and the Macerata Università station, serving the Luigi Bertelli hub of the University of Macerata and the Vallebona and Vergini districts.

In the hamlets of Piediripa and Sforzacosta there are two further stations, respectively called Corridonia-Mogliano and Urbisaglia-Sforzacosta.

 

Sport

Soccer
Various male and female football clubs are active in the municipality: the most important in the men's is the Società Sportiva Maceratese 1922, founded in 1922 from the merger of other city teams (Robur 1905, later refounded, Virtus and Macerata Helvia Recina F.C.) which plays in Excellence. The association has played in numerous Serie C championships and one in Serie B. Then there is the Polisportiva Giovanile Salesiana Robur Macerata 1905 (Corso Cairoli district), the oldest football club in the city, which deals only with the youth sector and the football school . Other teams are Cluentina, from the Piediripa hamlet, which plays the Promotion championship matches at the "Tonino Seri" stadium in Collevario; Atletico Macerata plays at the Pini stadium and Vigor Macerata, founded years ago with the name Rione Pace in the Pace district, plays at the Campo Sportivo S. Giuliano, and both play in the Second Category; Helvia Recina, from the hamlet of Villa Potenza and Sforzacosta, a team from the hamlet of the same name, play in the Third Category. In the past there were teams that then closed sporting activity: Gruppo Sportivo Cairoli (Corso Cairoli district), Dinamo Vergini, Madonna del Monte, Sportiva Fulgor (historic center district in the Duomo area), Giorgiana (centre district historic San Giorgio church) which for decades played at the Pini stadium and then at Collevario, Invicta (Corso Cavour neighbourhood) and Santa Croce which gave life to Macerata Calcio and Vis Macerata, which in different years reached their peaks regional championships (Excellence/Promotion). As regards women's 11-a-side football, there is YFIT Macerata founded in 2017, in 2019 it won the Italian Cup of the Excellence championship and to date it has 5 teams in the youth sector.

For 5-a-side football in the city there are CUS Macerata, which plays in Serie C1, Invicta Futsal and Bayer Cappuccini in Serie C2.

Volleyball
The "Macerata Medstore Tunit Volleyball" (formerly the Montalbano Volley Sports Association) is a men's club based in Macerata that plays in the Serie A3 championship. The club carries out part of its youth activities in the facility in Via F.lli Cervi, in the Colleverde Montalbano district, while the first team plays its home matches at the PalaMacerata Forum, the historic Palas of Fontescodella where AS Lube began its his volleyball adventure, taking the Serie C title from Azzurra Volley Macerata and bringing the first Scudetto and the first European Champions Cup to Macerata. In March 2023 the city hosted the final stages of the Serie A3 men's Italian Volleyball Cup.

Helvia Recina Volley Macerata is a women's club based in Macerata that plays in the Serie A1 championship.

Baseball
The Macerata Angels Baseball Club is the main baseball club in Macerata, playing in the Serie A2 championship.

Cycling
Macerata was the stage location of the Giro d'Italia 4 times:
1920 5th stage Chieti-Macerata, won by Leopoldo Torricelli;
1931 3rd stage Ravenna-Macerata, won by Alfredo Binda;
1974 8th stage Chieti-Macerata, won by Franco Bitossi;
1998 10th stage Vasto-Macerata, won by Mario Cipollini.
Macerata is periodically a stop on the Tirreno-Adriatico.

Other sports
For rugby, Amatori Rugby Macerata is active, founded in 2006 and which plays in the national Serie C championship in the Marche group.

In softball, Softball Mosca Macerata, founded in 1973, is based in the city and has several important results to its credit, among which we mention: a Champions Cup and several Italian and European titles.

Regarding basketball we can mention the A.B.M. Maceratese Basketball Association which played in the C1 regional championship in the 2009/2010 season.

For tennis we mention the "Claudio e Geo Giuseppucci" Amateur Tennis Association, which carries out activities at the regional and national level and arrived, a few years ago, in 18th place in the national ranking for clubs; she is awarded the CONI Gold Star for sporting merit.

Field hockey was born in the city in 1934, the local team is the Ass.Ca.Ri.Ma Sez.Hockey.

Two amateur airsoft sports associations are based in the city, the LRRP Softair Macerata and the Phoenix Softair Team Macerata.

For boxing there is the Maceratese Pugilistic Academy founded in 1968.

European City of Sport
For 2022 Macerata has been awarded the title of European City of Sport.