The Vallesina Valley and the Castles of Jesi

Jesi is one of the most beguiling towns in Ancona’s inland and boasts a sophisticated old centre and lively cultural life. As you arrive you must look at its most striking feature - a belt of massive 14thC walls, built on Roman foundations and later strengthened with buttresses and impregnable towers, and topped by houses.
Piazza Federico II lies at the north-eastern end of the town where the Roman forum of Aesis once lay. Its name recalls the birth here of the fabled Medieval Hohenstaufen Emperor Frederick II in a tent on 26 December 1194. In Piazza Ghislieri is the Federico II Museum, a large multimedia museum dedicated to the emperor, documenting Federico's life and his stirring deeds. A few steps down Via Pergolesi and you will be in Piazza Colocci and in front of Jesi's most remarkable building, Palazzo della Signoria. This Renaissance palace was built at the end of the 15thC; the large rampant lion above the entrance is the symbol of the power the city once held. Piazza della Repubblica, Jesi's largest square, is dominated by the town's 18thC theatre, Teatro Pergolesi, home to a prestigious autumn opera season and named after the composer Pergolesi, who was born here in 1710.
On Via XV Settembre stands Jesi's most flamboyant building, Palazzo Pianetti. Apart from its hundred windows, the bland facade little prepares you for the over-the-top Rococo flourishes inside. The most extravagant part is the sugar-candy stucco work in the long galleria. The over-blown decoration alone would merit a visit; the added bonus of the civic art gallery makes it obligatory as here is kept a small group of some of Lorenzo Lotto’s finest works: the Judgement of Santa Lucia, a Visitation, an Annunciation and a restless Deposition.
To find an exhaustive selection of Marche wines you can’t miss the regional “enoteca”, in the city historical centre, where you get to know the delicious Verdicchio, a white wine proudly produced in this area.
Among the main events, to be mentioned is the Palio of San Floriano and historical re-enactment: during the first week of May the town fully plunges into a medieval atmosphere. 

Belvedere Ostrense was founded, just like Ostra and Ostra Vetere, by some inhabitants of the Roman town of Ostra, although former settlements date back to the Picenes and also to the Senonian Gauls.

The landscape is characterized by gentle rolling hills, where vineyards and olive trees abound, alternated with small fluvial valleys.

The historic centre is surrounded by Renaissance walls adorned with nice little loggias and polygonal towers. It encloses interesting religious buildings, such as the parish church of St. Peter, the Collegiate church of the Virgin of Mercy and the "Sanctuary of the Vergin of the Sun ".

Belvedere Ostrense belongs to the National Association of Olive Oil Towns.

Among museums, worth mentioning is the International Museum of Post Image, which was opened in 1989. It aims at the research, production and information in the communication field.

A recurring event is the Festival of the Vergin of the Sun which takes place on the second Sunday of May. Traditional farmers’ games such as the tug of war or card games are organized.

Mergo is a medieval castle which lies mainly in a hilly area. It’s on the left side of the Esino river and not far from the Apennines. The main town is surrounded by the 14- 15^th century city walls in connection with the still preserved circuit where soldiers patrolled around.

Before Roman times this land was passed through by the Greeks, the Etruscans, the Umbrians who traded here. After the Battle of Sentino ( 295 b.C.) the Romans prevailed upon other groups and they became stronger. Many archaeological findings from Angeli di Mergo attest their presence in this area.

It always depended on the municipality of Serra San Quirico, but for a short period when it was ruled by Jesi ( 1248). It became e free municipality in 1827.

Many sport facilities are available in Mergo, such as a camping van parking facility near the sports centre of Mergo; a skating rink, tennis courts and bowling greens.

Worth visiting is the Church of St. Lorenzo, where a painting by Ercole Ramazzani (1530-1598) from Arcevia, by Orazio Orazi (1848-1912) from Camerino and "San Lorenzo " by an unknown painter can be admired.

Due to its nice setting and shape it’s the ideal place for you to spend your holidays and organize trips in the surroundings.

Since 1990 the most important event which has been taking place in the week during the 11^th in November ( Festa di San Martì) is a festival dedicated to St. Martin.

The origin of its name comes from the historical events of the nearby abbey of St. Benedetto dei Frondigliosi, mentioned in documents of 1199. The former name Castel de Plano depends on the buiding of a castle on a flat surface. Castelplanio was fortified because it was considered a military bulwark and an obstacle to the attacks of enemies. IN fact, in the first half of the 15^th century the people in the castle could withstand the attacks by Francesco Sforza, who eventually conquered the castle in 1433. Ten years later Nicolò Piccinino was asked by the Pope to chase away Sforza’s army. The castle surrendered and it was completely destroyed. The people who survived paid in order to have the castle rebuilt. They built two rows of castle walls, with towers, little moats, a drawbridge and only an entrance gate.

Castelplanio was reborn and until the 19^th century it was tenaciously linked to  Jesi, as one of its 16 castles.

Worth visiting is the Town Museum Fossa Mancini, which is housed in the Town Hall and was the private residence of the Earl Fossa Mancini, and the Church of St. Sebastian, which was built in 1878 on a project  by architect Mattia Capponi (1720- 1803). Inside there’s a 16^th century polychcrome terra cotta of the bust of St. Sebastian attributed to Mattia della Robbia; a 16^th century nice canvas representing the Crucifixion by Claudio Ridolfi and a gold wooden statue of St. Joseph. In the church there was a polyptych by Lorenzo Lotto , whose surviving panels are at present at the State Museums in Berlin.  

In Castelplanio  a good white-wine DOC is produced and the municipality belongs to the Italian association of wine cities and to the Olive Oil Towns Association.

Those fond of bike and walking can enjoy the Black Crab Route (Sentiero del Granchio Nero), named after the crab which lives in a ditch. It goes from the bottom of the valley ( hamlet Macine) to Castelplanio. The difference in height is 200 meters and it’s 5 kilometres long.

One of the oldest festivals organized in the Esino valley  in the last week of July is the “Crescia sul Panaro” festival. It’s based on traditional Marche cuisine popular food: the polenta ( cornmeal mush). It was rolled out with a rolling pin and cooked on a overheated metallic plate with a handle (the panaro). That’s how you get the crescia which is combined with vegetables and sausages. Side- events take place such as exhibitions, antiques’ markets, shows, inns and Verdicchio wine, of course.

In the hamlet Piagge, in the church dedicated to Madonna del Carmin, every year, on the Sunday following July 16th, the Holy Mary is celebrated. It’s also called the day of the consumed people because it was celebrated at the end of very hard agricultural work.  

In Castelplanio hot- air balloons are built, painted  and launched. So in mid- June  this contest, together with the throwing of cheese wheels and its historical re-enactment in the night- time in costumes, is organized in order to revive this old tradition.

Monte Roberto is an old castle whose visit is recommended for its historical roots. 330 metres above the sea, 44 km far from Ancona, it includes most part of the  hamlet Pianello Vallesina.

It’s named after Roberto, the owner of these lands, who probably had Lombard origins. This is the production area of the Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi white wine. Down the valley cereals, fruit and vegetable are grown. In the hamlet Noceto there’s a Picene necropolis. Near the abbey of Sant'Apollinare, it’s been located the ancient Planina town, who refers to the Roman subdivision of the Picene area.

Among monuments worthvisiting is Villa Salvati, one of the nicest historic villas of the Marche. It was built in neoclassical style between 1805 and 1820. Inside it was probably painted by the Piedmontese artist Felice Giani (1758-1823), who had already worked in the neighbouring town of Jesi.

This sturdy fortified medieval town, where the Orange Flag flies, stands among olive groves and vineyards where you can enjoy lovely views out over the hills and mountains of the central Marche. Its walls retain the original shape; parts of them now house the museum of wine and peasant culture; next to it is the wine bar where you can taste the best wines made in the area. The most typical one is the Verdicchio, the Marche’s most famous white wine. During the second week of August the town gives itself over to the Festa del Verdicchio, a colourful festival dedicated to the local incarnation of Bacchus. In the historic centre a must-see attraction is the parish church of S. Egidio, boasting a fifteenth century pentyptic made by Maestro di Staffolo.