The beguiling town of Ascoli Piceno is the southern Marche’s major centre. Along with its breathtaking main square Piazza del Popolo, a traffic-free and travertine-paved main square, stands Palazzo del Popolo, a splendid 13thC building with a lovely arcaded Renaissance courtyard.The other main square, Piazza Arringo, is almost as impressive as its big sister and is flanked by the Duomo, or cathedral, housing the colourful polyptch with the Madonna and Saints by Carlo Crivelli, considered one of his finest works, and the town hall, or palazzo Comunale.
The Pinacoteca Civica, Ascoli’s art gallery, is a carpet-bag collection of minor works by major artists and major works by minor artists. Best of all is the 13thC cope (piviale) of Pope Nicholas IV, a dazzling piece of embroidery work made in England. Worth visiting is Teatro Ventidio Basso, a 19c theatre in neoclassical style, dedicated to Ventidio Basso, a Roman citizien of Ascoli Piceno, who was a general of the Roman Republique.La Quintana, Ascoli’s jousting tournament, is one of the most authentic and exciting medieval shows in the Marche and takes place in the main square on the first Sunday of August.
The high point of the games is when riders from the city’s six districts tilt with lances at a target. The day also includes a striking procession with around 1,400 town’s people dressed in 15thC costume and plenty of side-shows and open-air eating places.Tourist information:www.comune.ascolipiceno.it
