Macerata

The Sferisterio

Situated on the backbone between the Potenza and Chienti rivers it risen probably after the destruction of Helvia Recina in the 408 p.C. by the Visigoti, even if news of an "Property of Maceratinis" is only in the 10th century. In the year 1138 it became a commune and in the year 1290 rosed a school that we could consider a prelude to the famous University.
Dominated from Sforza, in the 1445 underwent to the Pope dominion and it obtained to become center of the Papal Legate, administrator of the region. It had a large development in 16th century and a decay in the successive one. In the year 1814 Gioacchino Murat taked the power, but the year after near the Castle of the Rancia was defeated and the papal government was restored .

What to see

The Arena Sferisterio, born for the game of the bracelet ball, now it is used for shows of very important lyric operas.
You can notice that the game of the bracelet ball, still played in Treia and other localities, was a popular game in the 19th century, as to push the poet Giacomo Leopardi to dedicate one poetry to the champion of the moment Didimo Chierico.

Piazza della Libertà

Interesting is Piazza della Libertà with the communal palace of 17th - 19th century with porch, the loggia of the merchants of the year 1504, the Dome of the 18th century. In all the historical center many palaces and churches of the 16th 17th 18th century.
In Villa Potenza (on the valley of Potenza river) there are the ruins of Helvia Recina with the Roman theatre.
In S. Severino Marche, perhaps the city richest of monuments, to see Piazza del Popolo of 18th century, the old Dome of the 10th century next to the castle, the churches of S. Augustin (18th century), S. Domenico (10th century), S. Lorenzo in Doliolo (11th century) beyond to several palaces and other historical churches with paints and frescoes of Lorenzo and Jacopo Salimbeni.
Many are also the masterpieces to see in the valley of the Chienti, but they are described in the page of Tolentino.

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