Marche Breaks

It is one of the most ancient towns of the Piceno region.

The locality, already inhabited in the prehistory (Inferior Palaeolithic) assumes its urban aspect around the year 1000, when Transone (from which its place-name derives), obtained it as a feud by the Bishop of Fermo, and unified the castles of Monte Antico, Capodimonte, Roflano and Agello. In 1250 it was already a free town.

In 1571 it was elevated to the status of diocese by Pope Pio V. In the 18th century it featured a very intense cultural life, testified by the erection of the theatre. From 1808 to 1815 it was chief town of the canton (during the Italian Reign of Napoleon). In 1860 (after the battle of Castelfidardo on September the 18th), it freed itself from the pontifical government, the first in the province of Ascoli, without being helped by third parts. Among the most famous personages of Ripatransone are to be mentioned: Giovanni da Ripatransone (14th century), theologian and philosopher; Ascanio Condivi (1525-1574), painter, ethnographer, historiographer and author of a biography on Michelangelo Buonarroti; and Luigi Mercantini (1821-1872), men of letters and patriot.

High on a ridge above the northern slopes of the attractive valley of the Tesino river stands the small hill town of Ripatransone. True, it's not a major site but if you want a morning away from the nearby coast towns it makes a pleasant outing.

The crumbling old town walls that greet you set the tone - the place has yet to suffer invasive restoration. Its warm pink brick is much the same as it's been for centuries.

The first surprise is the relative grandeur of its buildings for the modest size of the place. During the 16th century the town experienced a period of prosperity and prestige, and was elevated to the status of city with its own cathedral.

The town's uniqueness, however, comes in the form of a tiny alleyway - it is only 43 centimetres wide and the narrowest in all Italy. And there are plenty of other tight lanes to explore.

Ripatransone, if you reach it to escape the sultry summer weather then you will immediately realize why it is known as the “panoramic viewpoint of the Piceno”.

Like in an amphitheatre you will see Mount Conero, the Gran Sasso mountain and even the Gargano emerge in the background.

Curiosity will urge you to explore the medieval walls and towers, the churches, the patrician buildings, the museums, the archives: all express a past brimming with culture and if you reach the picture gallery, you will be able to surprisingly visit the annexed gallery of plaster casts where you can admire a collectionof a hundred very original sculptures in plaster by the local artist Uno Gera.

However the emotions don’s stop here, you are able to pass from the wide historical-cultural spaces to quaint town spaces that are particularly limited such as the narrowest alley in Italy, if not in the world. After seeing all these things you may be in need of refreshment.

Accompanied by a local doc wine such as th Rosso Piceno and the Falerio of the Ascoli Hills, which are such choice wines that they became part in 194 of the National Association “Città del Vino”.

Ripatransone has been awarded the Orange Flag 2002 by Touring Club Italiano for touristic excellence.