Serravalle di Chienti
Encyclopedia
Serravalle di Chienti is a comune
(municipality) in the Province of Macerata
in the Italian
region Marche
, located about 80 km southwest of Ancona
and about 50 km southwest of Macerata
. It is crossed by the Chienti
river. The communal territory is largely mountainous with numerous woods and pastures.
Serravalle di Chienti borders the following municipalities: Camerino
, Fiuminata
, Foligno
, Monte Cavallo
, Muccia
, Nocera Umbra, Pieve Torina
, Sefro
, Visso
.
and the Romans
.
In the Middle Ages it was a fortress of the Da Varano
family of Camerino
.
Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
(municipality) in the Province of Macerata
Province of Macerata
The Province of Macerata is a province in the Marche region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Macerata.It has an area of 2,774 km², and a total population of 301,701 . There are 57 comunes in the province, see Comunes of the Province of Macerata.-External links:*...
in the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
region Marche
Marche
The population density in the region is below the national average. In 2008, it was 161.5 inhabitants per km2, compared to the national figure of 198.8. It is highest in the province of Ancona , and lowest in the province of Macerata...
, located about 80 km southwest of Ancona
Ancona
Ancona is a city and a seaport in the Marche region, in central Italy, with a population of 101,909 . Ancona is the capital of the province of Ancona and of the region....
and about 50 km southwest of Macerata
Macerata
Macerata is a city and comune in central Italy, the capital of the province of Macerata in the Marche region.The historical city center is located on a hill between the Chienti and Potenza rivers. It consisted of the Picenes city named Ricina, then, after the romanization, Recina and Helvia Recina...
. It is crossed by the Chienti
Chienti
The Chienti is a river in the Marche region of Italy. Its mouth is on the Adriatic at the town of Civitanova Marche ....
river. The communal territory is largely mountainous with numerous woods and pastures.
Serravalle di Chienti borders the following municipalities: Camerino
Camerino
Camerino is a small town of 7.135 inhabitants in the Marches , in the province of Macerata, Italy. It is located in the Apennines bordering Umbria, between the valleys of the rivers Potenza and Chienti, about 40 miles from Ancona....
, Fiuminata
Fiuminata
Fiuminata is a comune in the Province of Macerata in the Italian region Marche, located about 70 km southwest of Ancona and about 45 km southwest of Macerata. The municipal seat is in the frazione of Massa....
, Foligno
Foligno
Foligno is an ancient town of Italy in the province of Perugia in east central Umbria, on the Topino river where it leaves the Apennines and enters the wide plain of the Clitunno river system...
, Monte Cavallo
Monte Cavallo
Monte Cavallo is a comune in the Province of Macerata in the Italian region Marche, located about 80 km southwest of Ancona and about 45 km southwest of Macerata....
, Muccia
Muccia
Muccia is a comune in the Province of Macerata in the Italian region Marche, located about 70 km southwest of Ancona and about 40 km southwest of Macerata...
, Nocera Umbra, Pieve Torina
Pieve Torina
Pieve Torina is a comune in the Province of Macerata in the Italian region Marche, located about 70 km southwest of Ancona and about 45 km southwest of Macerata....
, Sefro
Sefro
- Sefro is a comune in the Province of Macerata in the Italian region Marche, located about 70 km southwest of Ancona and about 45 km southwest of Macerata. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 453 and an area of 42.5 km²....
, Visso
Visso
Visso is a comune in the Province of Macerata in the Italian region Marche, located about 80 km southwest of Ancona and about 50 km southwest of Macerata. It houses the seat of the Monti Sibillini National Park.-External links:...
.
History
Settled since pre-historic times, in antique times the Serravalle plateau featured a lake known as Plestinam Paludem. The area was subsequently ruled by the EtruscansEtruscan civilization
Etruscan civilization is the modern English name given to a civilization of ancient Italy in the area corresponding roughly to Tuscany. The ancient Romans called its creators the Tusci or Etrusci...
and the Romans
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
.
In the Middle Ages it was a fortress of the Da Varano
Da Varano
The Da Varano was an Italian noble family who had an important role in the medieval and Renaissance history of central Italy, as rulers of Camerino and other lands in the Marche and Umbria.- Overview :...
family of Camerino
Camerino
Camerino is a small town of 7.135 inhabitants in the Marches , in the province of Macerata, Italy. It is located in the Apennines bordering Umbria, between the valleys of the rivers Potenza and Chienti, about 40 miles from Ancona....
.
Main sights
- Parish church, with 16th century frescoes by SimoneSimone de MagistrisSimone de Magistris was an Italian painter and sculptor.Born at Caldarola, Marche, he was the son of Giovanni Andrea de Magistris and Camilla di Ambrogio, and brother to Palmino and to Giovanfrancesco, both painters...
and Giovanni de Magistris. - Church of Santa Maria di Pistia or di Plestia, in proto-RomanesqueRomanesque architectureRomanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
style. It was built over an ancient pagan temple of the UmbriUmbriThe Umbri were an Italic people of ancient Italy. A region called Umbria still exists and is currently occupied by Italian speakers. It is somewhat smaller than the ancient Umbria....
an goddess Cupra. Once the cathedral of the town of Plestia, it was destroyed, together with the latter, by Emperor Otto IIIOtto III, Holy Roman EmperorOtto III , a King of Germany, was the fourth ruler of the Saxon or Ottonian dynasty of the Holy Roman Empire. He was elected King in 983 on the death of his father Otto II and was crowned Holy Roman Emperor in 996.-Early reign:...
. It was rebuilt around the year 1000, to which date the current crypt and apse. The nave and the portico are later. - Convent of Brogliano.
- Botte dei Varano, an artificial channel built by Giulio Cesare da Varano in the 15th century to dry the Karst plateau of ColfioritoColfioritoColfiorito is a village in Umbria, central Italy, a frazione of the comune of Foligno.-Geography:It is located on a plateau at 760 m over the sea level, on the road from Foligno to Macerata, which houses a total of c...
. Recent restorations have shown the presence of a pre-existing Roman travertineTravertineTravertine is a form of limestone deposited by mineral springs, especially hot springs. Travertine often has a fibrous or concentric appearance and exists in white, tan, and cream-colored varieties. It is formed by a process of rapid precipitation of calcium carbonate, often at the mouth of a hot...
structure.