The re-enactment of the Palio dell’Assunta, on August 15, is an equestrian race among the city’s districts, preceded by a detailed and fascinating choreography, which dates back to the twelfth century. Fermo maintains a strong focus on authentic flavors, passing on a rich tradition of local gastronomy: the Vincisgrassi, a kind of lasagna created in the eighteenth century in honor of the Austrian general Windisch-Graetz and sweet delicacies such as the cicerchiata and the syrup frappe, a typical Carnival delight. – www.cavalcatadellassunta.it
HISTORY – From the classic “pyramid” shape, Fermo stands out on a relief just 7 km from the Adriatic: it is one of the capitals of the Lower Marches, which were once called, significantly, Marca Firmana. From the Picaean era, or pre-Roman, there is a section of the Wall made up of huge stone blocks; with the Romans the city became the important Firmum Picenum, worthy of major works such as the Cisterns of the I sec. d.C. It is the Lombards who gave a new territorial structure, creating the extensive Duchy of Fermano, but also the following dominion of the Franks. From the eleventh to the twelfth century, we see the transfer of effective powers to the bishop, who then grants municipal autonomy. In ‘300 takes place the overall reorganization of the Church State by Cardinal Albornoz: Fermo is Civitas Magna and it ensures a sixty castles in an area from Maceratese to Abruzzo. A Pope who gives further importance to the city, after being bishop, is Sisto V, in ‘500: you can admire a famous bronze celebration in the Piazza del Popolo.
HISTORICAL BUILDINGS – Of particular interest are the piers of St. Francis and St. Dominic, between Romanesque and Gothic, while the evocative installation of St. Martin is now used as an auditorium. The exterior of the Oratory of S. Monica are from the ‘400, of S. Agostino a century before and of S. Zenone of 1100. The Teatro dell’Aquila, of late ‘700, has been recently restored and boasts a capacity of almost 900 seats. The Cathedral, dedicated to the Assumption, has several stages of construction. The ancient early Christian basilica was replaced by a fourteenth-century church of which remain the facade, the first span and the lower body of the bell tower. The rest of the building was rebuilt in ‘700, the interior is in neoclassical style. There are also to see the Matteucci Tower, from 1100, and the Azzolino Palace, built on a project by Antonio da Sangallo il Giovane.
