Fermo is a delightful town that rests on top of a hill overlooking the River Tenna, not a long way from the
Adriatic sea . It has an unmistakable skyline dominated by the silhouette of the Cathedra and a profusion of buildings in turn encircled by remains of cyclopean walls that still bear witness of its glorious past.
At a stone’s throw from the main square, walking through a back street in the old part of town you get to the Roman Cisterns – a superb example of Roman hydraulic engineering. This underground system of thirty vaulted rooms date back to the first century BC and were built as a reservoir of drinking water for both the town and the Roman fleet. The 13th century Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta which splendidly stands in the highest part of town, is a perfect example of asymmetrical Romanesque-Gothic architecture. It has a graceful façade with a fine rose window, a massive bell tower as well as a finely decorated interior. From the gardens surrounding the church you can enjoy breathtaking views of the countryside below, of the Adriatic sea and, on clear days, even of the strip of land opposite the Italian coast – Croatia! The Renaissance Palazzo dei Priori in the main square - Piazza del Popolo – was built in the late 13th century , it has a façade divided into three horizontal and vertical sections, a double stairway leading to the central threshold which is surmounted by the a bronze statue by the Tuscan sculptor Sansovino that portrays Pope Sistus V. The Palace is currently home to the Pinacoteca Comunale, an interesting art gallery including a Nativity by the Flemish painter Pieter Paul Rubens. A true must-see is the Library which, amongst ancient books and manuscripts, keeps the seventeenth century Globe Room – one of the town’s most prized possession: inside this room is kept the absolutely gorgeous globe made by the Venetian distinguished academic and geographer Moroncelli in 1713. One more glory of the city certainly is the 18th century Teatro Comunale dell'Aquila, that seats over 800 spectators, has a rare chandelier in wrought iron and gilded wood and frescoed ceiling. Situated halfway between the main square and the cathedral, it is renowned all over the region for the performances staged there, be it concerts of classical music, theatre or opera. Worth a visit are also the Musei Scientifici hosted at Villa Vitali, a splendid mansion built by a local noble family in the 19th century outside the city walls. The Villa, immersed in a park, is home to the Ethnographic Polar Museum in Italy, an Ornithological Museum, the meteorite room housing the meteorite which fell in Fermo in 1996, the oval studio with a collection of old cameras; and the pipe museum. On August 15th each year a medieval re-enactment is staged in the old part of town - the Palio dell'Assunta. So no mater when you go, you will find a jewel box that only expects to be opened!