The best cycling routes around Falconara Marittima

The Church of Santa Maria della Piazza is an example of particular significance both for its architectural value and for its testimonial value regarding the origins of Christianity in the city of Ancona. Built at the end of the 12th century on the remains of the church dedicated to Saint Stephen, the first Christian martyr whose relic is preserved in the Diocesan Museum, it represents the historical continuity of the Christian religion expressed through the monuments that have come down to us and is at the same time a document of the evolving history of the city. The Church is a jewel of Romanesque architecture: it has a rectangular plan, a Latin cross layout, and is divided into three naves. The bell tower originally had a strategic function, being a tower attached to the fortification that connected to the hill behind. The richly ornamented portal strikes with the movement and fine interweaving of the small arches and pilasters. After the consolidation work initiated following the earthquake of 1972, it seems possible to connect the history of this church to the most ancient memories of Christian worship in Ancona between the 2nd and 4th centuries, identifying its title with that of the very ancient basilica dedicated to the protomartyr Stephen, built on the ruins of imperial buildings from the Trajanic era.

The baroque church of Saints Pellegrino and Teresa, or degli Scalzi, was built in 1706 to a design by the Roman architect Giovan Battista Bartoli. In the area stood the ancient medieval church of SS. Salvatore, which was demolished for its construction. The Discalced Carmelites acquired the already ruined parish church and in 1706, to a design by their confrere fra’ Giovanni Battista Bartoli, they founded and dedicated the new church with the title of S. Teresa of Jesus, Holy Founder and reformer of the Order of Carmel. The friars officiated the church until January 2, 1798: following the French occupation, the annexed convent was reduced to a barracks and the goods partly sold. At the time of its construction, the church was squeezed between the Ferretti palaces, on the left, and D’Avalos, on the right, the latter lost during the bombings of 1943. The church, subsequently dedicated to SS. Pellegrino and Teresa, thus uniting the memory of the Holy Founder with the Martyr whose bones are preserved in the same church until the 8th century, was restored for the damage caused by the bombings of World War II and the earthquake of 1972. The exterior is characterized by a large copper dome in the style of Michelangelo, closed by a lantern visible from several points in the city. The facade features paired pilasters and is crowned by a balustrade that separates the bodies of the drum and the dome, giving them greater momentum. The dome’s covering has been renewed several times: the slabs, originally of slate, were replaced with lead, up to the current copper cladding. The interior has a circular plan with two side chapels and a deep presbytery housing the high altar, adorned with a crucifix that recalls models of the Byzantine tradition, made between 1100 and 1200. The light entering through the eight windows of the drum enhances the relationships between the wall masses and the empty spaces.

From the top of Mount Conero there is a breathtaking view!

The Cathedral of Ancona, dedicated to Saint Cyriacus, is the metropolitan cathedral of the Archdiocese of Ancona-Osimo. It is a medieval church blending Romanesque and Byzantine styles, evident in its Greek cross plan and in the many works of art housed within. It stands in a scenic location atop Colle Guasco, formerly occupied by the acropolis of the Greco-Doric city, overlooking the entire city of Ancona and its gulf. It was designated a basilica in May 1926 by Pope Pius XI, and has been a national monument since 1940. Inside is the painting of Our Lady Queen of All Saints, the subject of an event considered "miraculous" by Catholic tradition, known as the Marian Miracle of Saint Cyriacus. The building has a history of over 2,000 years, during which five major events can be distinguished: - 4th-2nd century BC - Construction of the Temple of Aphrodite, whose perimeter corresponds exactly to the transept and the left wing of the current church; - 6th century AD - Construction of the early Christian Basilica of San Lorenzo, built on the ruins of the ancient temple; - 11th century AD - The Basilica of San Lorenzo became a cathedral and was expanded. With the translation of the body of Saint Cyriacus, it changed its name and took on its current title; - 12th century AD - Transformation of the plan into a Greek cross, giving the church an oriental layout, its main characteristic. - 13th century AD - Construction of the dome and porch, interventions that gave the building its current appearance.

Great places you must see

By the sea, cycle path, flat, every time the sea is rough it's a different experience.

Beautiful view of the Ancona hills and the port

Definitely worth a visit