Marche Breaks

In the 14th century, the local communities organised in the free municipal towns of Montalto, Patrignone and Porchia.

In 1418 Montalto elected autonomously its Podestà and in XV century it was land of Consulta where the sessions of the Presidato Farfense took place.

When Cardinal Montalto, a farmer's son from the nearby coastal town of Grottamare, became Pope Sixtus V in 1585, he decided to elevate this tiny village where he trained as a priest to the status of Episcopal See and establishing the Presidato Farfense in 1586, building a cathedral and palace which entirely upstage the little medieval hamlet above it. Work proceeded quickly but within barely five years Pope Montalto, as he was nicknamed, was dead.

In 1798 during Napoleonic invasions, Mons.Castiglioni, the future Pope Pio VIII, was arrested and deported to Mantova and Montalto rebelled.

During restoration, in 1816, Montalto became chief town of the district including Amandola, Offida, Ripatransone and San Benedetto del Tronto.

Montalto Marche gave birth to architect Giuseppe Sacconi (1854-1905).

The Civic Picture Gallery, the Interdiocesan Museum of Sacred Art with a Reliquary, the Ethnographical Museum “L’acqua,La terra, La tela”, the Historical Library, with more than 5.000 volumes are of high historical value.

On 14th of August the Festival “The night of witches and of elves” takes place, a revival of fairy tales characters.