Stopping of at the Marche’s Macerata

We visited Macerata on a beautiful January day, after having mistaken picturesque, nearby Recanati for Macerata.

Macerata is a hill town town in the Marche region’s interior. Its population is a little over 40,000. Perched 315 meters from sea level, this town is about 30 km from the Adriatic coast.

Mentions of Macerata date back to the Ancient Roman Empire, when it was inhabited by the ‘piceni’ people. The remains of the II century AD Roman theatre stand as testimony to this ancient path.

The invasion of the Goths during the 4th and 5th centuries forced the town inhabitants to move the town higher up the hill (in both Macerata and Recanati), and this hilltop locations formed the core of then medieval towns for both centers – with clear views over to possible invading armies.

In 1320, Pope John XII declared Macerata a bishop’s episcopal seat, thereby bolstering Macerata’s standing. The city grew rapidly, and garnered papal favor. Commerce thrived and the town took shape.

By the sixteenth century, the tow had transformed into a thriving hill town, with a defensive wall surrounding it.

The town was also an important center of learning, with the foundations of the University of Macerata occurring in 1291. The University of Macerata is the ninth oldest in the world – and the fifth oldest in Italy …. demonstrating Italy’s important role in the creation of universities.

But the university truly began to take shape in 1540 with the support of Pope Paul III. The schools of Philosophy, Law, Medicine and Theology were created.

This pleasant medieval town is well worth a visit when you’re next passing by in then Marche.