Let’s venture on a stroll through the alleys of the picturesque historic centre of Montottone, still perfectly preserved after over six centuries.
The ancient fortified towns of Le Marche, with their thousand sensations made of colors, scents and touch perceptions, are places where it’s possible to really breathe history. A history that here, in the heart of Marca Fermana, gets rediscovered by traveling through enchanting hilly landscapes and picturesque alleys, often guardians of beautiful gems.
An example of this is the historic centre of Montottone, established in the Middle Age, constantly evolved over time through different eras, while remaining perfectly preserved for over six centuries in its original, ancient and fascinating beauty.
If you want to discover the wonders hidden within the walls of ancient Mons Actonis too, follow us on this exciting step by step itinerary in the historic centre of Montottone, a unique opportunity to spend a day strolling through history!
Itinerary in the historic centre of Montottone: let’s start from Piazza Cifola
If you decided to visit the charming medieval town of Montottone, whatever means of transport you want to use to get here, your arrival point - therefore your starting point for exploring the historic centre - is Piazza Cifola.
This space, which also takes the name of Piazza Roma on its side overlooking the green hilly landscape of Le Marche, is in fact one of the stops for provincial buses traveling in the province of Fermo, and offers also a large parking area to park your car if you prefer to move independently.
Here you cannot remain indifferent to the welcome message that the town reserves for its visitors: “Storia, Arte, Colli Ameni” ("History, Art, Pleasant Hills"), a perfect synthesis of the identity of Montottone carved on a portion of the ancient castle walls, with a splendid votive niche made of artisan ceramics dedicated to Madonna delle Grazie.
Before venturing into the historic centre of Montottone, this is the right chance to let yourself be excited by the beauty of the details and the landscape, breathe fresh and clean air, maybe take the first photographs of a long series, starting to get acquainted with the refined simplicity of the famous lu paese de li coccià.
First stop: the tower of Porta Marina and the fountain’s square
Immediately next to the tree-lined panoramic viewpoint in Piazza Cifola stands the tower of Porta Marina, once an integral part of the gateway to the fortified town, now redeveloped as an enviable historic location hosting a restaurant.
Continuing, past the old and solemn tower to enter the heart of the historic centre of Montottone, on the right opens the beautiful and picturesque fountain's square: the first real stop on our itinerary, the first wonder to admire in the village.
A place where art truly reigns, enhancing the beauty of what the expert hands of an artist can create, from the peculiar cobblestone floor with a mosaic theme to the refined brickwork on the back wall, with its three niches where find their space the ancient fountain - in the middle - and two stunning wall sculptures depicting craftsmen at work.
It is no coincidence that Montottone is famous internationally for its historic tradition and artisan culture related to the handmade processing of ceramics, a beautiful pearl that we will discover later in our itinerary.
For now, let's enjoy all the sensations of this pretty little square, in the natural silence surrounding this fantastic village. And let's get ready to be touched by emotions, many other beauties await us!
Second stop: through Corso Vittorio Emanuele II
Let's leave the little fountain’s square behind and continue on Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, the main street crossing the historic centre of Montottone. It’s a way to discover step by step, walking slowly, looking for the most beautiful views among hidden alleys, flower-filled windows, iron street lamps, elegant wooden doors and historic buildings.
In this street, in fact, there is the former Government Palace of Montottone (on the right, a little further on the Pro Loco office), used in past centuries as the core of local power and later turned into a small theater, as well as the current Town Hall (right after, on the left), embellished in its brick facade by a stone plaque on which is carved the municipal coat of arms of Montottone.
The atmosphere reminds of a remote, distant era, between Middle Ages and Renaissance, and it almost seems like reviving the glories of the golden age of the town. A feeling that intensifies even more when admiring the precious house numbers of the village, hand-painted on wonderful and colorful artisan ceramics.
But at the end of the street it’s already possible to glimpse a solemn bell tower and part of the facade of a large church: it's time to head towards the next stop!
Third stop: the Church of Santa Maria Ausiliatrice
Deep in Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, it’s impossible to avoid the magnetic charm of the Church of Santa Maria Ausiliatrice, the largest and most important worship place in Montottone, as well as one of the oldest and richest from an artistic point of view.
Built between the 1300’s and 1400’s, the church as it appears to visitors today is the result of centuries of expansions and aesthetic embellishments, carried out until the end of 1800’s, which transformed the original medieval building - much smaller and a private property - into a place of public worship that’s indeed more developed from an architectural perspective, as well as spiritual and artistic.
Today, Santa Maria Ausiliatrice is considered a Renaissance jewel, due to its renovated facade, with its robust and refined aesthetics, and for the expansion and internal renovation of the first half of 1500’s. A recognition also attributed, perhaps above all, for the artistic masterpiece Virgin on the throne with Child and Saints kept inside the church, a sacred art work on canvas by Vincenzo Pagani created in the same years.
Be careful of what you don't see at first glance, though. Have you noticed the curious well in the middle of the little square, right in front of the church portal?
Fourth stop: the medieval Cistern in the basement of S. Maria Ausiliatrice
Yes, our next stop will lead us discovering the mysteries of this well, an adventure to be experienced in the basement of Santa Maria Ausiliatrice, which houses one of the most evocative attractions in all of Montottone and a witness to its rich past.
We’re talking about the medieval Cistern, completed in 1400’s, located just underneath the church and reachable by going down the alley to its right, where it’ also possible to glimpse a sign indicating the entrance to this hidden space.
The Montottone’s Cistern, divided into two large levels whose main tank is 15 meters deep and 6 meters wide, can be visited entirely by following a guided tour that descends along its perimeter exploring its ancient tanks.
A truly extraordinary work of medieval engineering and architecture for what was once a simple castle within Marca Fermana, which has no comparison elsewhere in the province for its size and brickwork quality. It is no coincidence that today it’s still perfectly preserved despite the time and, unfortunately, the seismic phenomena that often affected Le Marche.
In short, an exceptional stop to best experience the wonder of Montottone, even in the depths of the hill on which the village stands. But now let's get ready, we return to the surface - or rather, higher up.
Fifth stop: upwards to Piazza Marconi and the Church of San Pietro Apostolo
Returning to the small square at the foot of Santa Maria Ausiliatrice on Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, it’s time to move even higher, towards the upper level of the village. A little further along the street there’s a stone flight of stairs, which winds like a hidden alley between the old buildings: we walk along it, it will lead us to our next (double) stop.
After passing the small and picturesque maze of alleys, we’re finally in Piazza Marconi, also popularly known as Piazza Castello because it was here that, until 1603, stood the heart of the castle of Montottone.
However, with the consolidation of a long era of proper peace and tranquility, the old military fortifications, by now useless, were demolished to transform the old courtyard into today's square, elegant and refined in its unique style that harmoniously mixes Baroque and Neoclassicism with the distinctly more Renaissance and Medieval features of the rest of the historic centre of Montottone.
Piazza Marconi is undoubtedly dominated by the imposing presence of the Church of San Pietro Apostolo, especially its bell tower with clock, of Renaissance origin and later rebuilt from its foundations and enriched internally with Baroque aesthetic ornaments.
In the mid-1700’s, precisely between 1758 and 1762, it was also further expanded with the construction of the Collegiate and artistically embellished with beautiful arabesques and basreliefs sculpted by Interlenghi, a master craftsman and sculptor from Montottone.
Sixth stop: Palazzo Amici and the historic buildings in Piazza Marconi
We said that Piazza Marconi is considered a double stop on our itinerary in the historic centre of Montottone, and it couldn’t be otherwise in such an evocative place, symbol of a town that has been able to evolve over the centuries while remaining faithful to its roots.
After the demolition of the old castle, in fact, in addition to the Church of S. Pietro - discovered in the previous stop - in the second half of 1600’s, on the right side of the square was also built Palazzo Breccia-Fratadocchi, a noble residence on three floors with a precious wooden entrance door topped by a floral decoration in wrought iron.
In the 1800’s, the look of Piazza Marconi was further embellished with the construction of new rich residences; the most famous, as well as the largest and most beautiful is Palazzo Ferracuti-Amici, in front of the church, a wonderful example of Neoclassical art and architecture that stands out above all for its facade, finely designed in the wake of the new modern building style, very popular in the main Italian cities.
Seventh stop: downwards again to Piazza Leopardi
After exploring Piazza Marconi, with its architectural wonders encompassing more than two centuries of history and art, it’s time to return to the lower level of Montottone. Therefore, we immerse ourselves in the alleys behind the square, and move down again to the same stone flight of stairs we walked previously. Thus, to reach our next stop we will have to move to the right, on the final stretch of Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, immediately after the Church of S. Maria Ausiliatrice.
It only takes a few steps to begin glimpse a new little square a little further ahead, Piazza Leopardi, in which an iconic and picturesque loggia stands out, the antechamber of another important historical building in the town, dating back to the second half of 1800’s, which has always hosted finance activities and institutions.
Piazza Leopardi and its loggia are considered a small salon for Montottone, as they host numerous cultural events and evenings throughout the year, such as the summer talk dedicated to the poet of Infinito and the opening ceremony of Palio delle Grazie at the end of the solemn procession.
Immediately next to the square is the small street of Via Trento, where we find another noble palace of the modern era - Palazzo Ricci - dating back to the second half of 1700’s, as well as the very ancient Parish of Santissimo Salvatore, the oldest in Montottone whose existence is documented as early as 1118.
Extended and renovated several times, until its complete reconstruction in neoclassical style around 1765, this small church immersed in the alleys of the historic centre of Montottone is also called the church of the noble families, as for centuries it has been the beneficiary of numerous donations and bequests from the aristocracy of Marca Fermana, in particular between the Middle Ages and the early 1800’s. Among these, an outstanding painting dedicated to the Risen Savior dating back to the mid-1600’s, without any official author attributed.
Eighth stop: looking for the ancient potters artisan workshops
And right after getting to the other side of Via Trento, next to the western walls of the town, here we are now at the end of our itinerary in the historic centre of Montottone...or maybe not, we’re forgetting something!
After all, we are in the famous village of potters, where ceramics craftsmanship is a true art shaped by centuries of small and big masterpieces, strictly handmade according to the traditional technique. And believe us, even if in this tour inside the ancient walls we visited and discovered the most important places and historical buildings of Montottone, you cannot boast of having truly experienced this splendid hamlet if you haven’t taken a look at the ceramists artisan workshops.
An unmissable stop to discover the ancient craft of the potter and the beauty of handmade ceramics, ending our wonderful tour with a bang, is the historic Bottega Bozzi, an authentic institution in Montottone. Here time seems to have stopped by, among visions, scents, sounds, perceptions to experience in the present, but always in connection to the past, among the last great workshops dedicated to contribute the survival of manufacturing culture, a pillar of Made in Italy and quality production in the territory of Fermo.
Outside the walls: the end of the itinerary in the historic centre of Montottone
Walls and towers of an ancient medieval castle still perfectly intact, majestic churches that keep centuries of faith and great art, elegant and refined noble palaces that symbolize the advancing modernity (but in kindness), picturesque views of alleys, squares and stairways, and above all cool artisan creations transforming common things into real masterpieces.
Montottone is truly all of this, and it was wonderful to travel together to discover its magical historic centre. Now, however, it’s getting late, it is time to really get back. So let's take Via Circonvallazione, the long road that runs along the entire perimeter of the ancient hamlet, which will take us back to Piazza Cifola, where our adventure began - and who knows, perhaps where a new journey already awaits us!
