6 reasons to visit
Pergola
In the heart of the Cesano Valley, with a view towards Mount Catria, Pergola occupies a strategic position between the Apennine mountain range and the beaches of the Adriatic. A spectacular landscape, where the vegetation is characterised by the geometric rows of vineyards and the vast expanse of the woods.
A town with centuries-old origins, Pergola has witnessed the passage of civilisations since prehistoric times. The Roman influence and the succession of peoples have blended history, myth and legend, creating the deep-rooted identity that still animates the town today.
The journey to discover the city’s treasures begins in the newly restored gardens, an oasis of beauty that welcomes visitors at the city gates. From here, you venture into a historic centre with a distinctly medieval character, where every street tells a chapter of living history.
Characterised by an extraordinary concentration of religious buildings, Pergola is historically known as the ‘Pergoletta Santa’. In the past, the town was home to no fewer than 54 sacred buildings, whose architectural treasures now represent a heritage of inestimable cultural value.
The town is nestled amidst seven hills, whose silhouettes blend into the warm colours of the Marche countryside. This natural setting led to Pergola being admitted, in 2018, to the prestigious club of Italy’s Most Beautiful Villages.
The exploration continues along the ‘year-round truffle’ trails, which you can cycle along to immerse yourself in the scents of the earth. A sensory experience that is rounded off amongst the vineyards, guardians of a tradition of culinary and wine excellence.
Discover the charms of Pergola
The Beauty Trail comes to life
Exploring the beating heart of the Marche region has never been easier with Criluma Viaggi!
Romantic weekends, days spent immersed in nature or cultural tours: we’ve put together itineraries to suit all tastes and time constraints.
A history steeped in myths and legends
When the oxen knelt at Pergola Cathedral
It was in 1234 that the people of Gubbio – who were constantly travelling through and stopping overnight in Pergola, along the Cesano Valley, on their way with their carts to the nearest trading port, Senigallia – decided to form an alliance with the town and fortify it.
The historic centre bears the hallmarks of 13th-century Umbrian medieval architecture, where the buildings are distinguished by their characteristic ‘doors for the dead’.
These are distinctive, very narrow, pointed-arch openings, sized to allow a coffin to be carried out of the house whilst also being easily defendable in the event of invasion and looting – events that were by no means uncommon in those days.
Among the town’s most iconic historic districts, the Tinte and Conce districts are particularly noteworthy, bearing witness to the strong economic fabric of the guilds that characterised the town for centuries.
Even today, some buildings retain the distinctive features associated with their former uses (rooms used for drying or channels for draining water).
The 13th century holds a history that is lost in the town’s traditions and collective memory. It is said, in fact, that in the places where the martyrs Secondo, Agabito and Giustina were buried, near an area known as Monte Vecchio di Serra Sant’Onda on the border with the town of Gubbio, between 1240 and 1261, a series of miraculous events took place, such as oxen refusing to plough the land in the City of Pergola, kneeling down instead.
Thus the saints’ tomb was discovered, but the initial surprise gave way to fierce hostility between the towns of Gubbio, Gualdo Tadino, Spoleto and Amelia, which were vying for the martyrs’ remains.
The Bishop of Gubbio decided, to calm the heated tempers, to load the remains onto a cart drawn by oxen without a driver; and these, at the historic crossroads between the various towns, turned round without a moment’s hesitation and chose Pergola, where they knelt before what was then the Church of St Augustine, now the town’s cathedral.
It is here, even today, that the sacred remains of the Saints are jealously guarded by the people of Pergola, and every year this miraculous arrival is commemorated with a historical re-enactment.
Pergola is also distinguished by another historical event of national significance: it was the first town in the Marche region to rise up against the Papal States in 1860, during the uprisings for a united Italy, an episode that earned it the Gold Medal of the Risorgimento; and it was the first Italian town where the Italian tricolour flew with solemn pride from the Town Hall.
The Golds of Pergola
Among the city’s artistic and cultural highlights
Pergola is a treasure trove that enchants the soul and delights the eye.
Some of these precious artefacts are housed in the Museum of Gilded Bronzes and the City of Pergola.
Here, in the contemporary art section, we can admire the meticulous graphic works created by the Pergola-born artist Walter Valentini, who has reinterpreted Giacomo Leopardi’s timeless works on cotton paper to mark the bicentenary of his birth.
The result is indescribable, making these limited-edition volumes a true gem.
Moving on to the art-historical section, the statue of Saint Secondo, the city’s patron saint, takes pride of place amongst the other works; he holds a small pergola in the palms of his hands, and the ‘Bella Pietà’ of Saint Augustine, one of the most evocative Pietàs in central Italy, in which the Virgin Mary’s grief is not depicted, but perceived by the attentive eyes of the observer.
The work that undoubtedly attracts the most attention is the Polyptych of St James with St Augustine the Bishop, thanks to its vivid, bright colours and its history: originally housed in the church of St James and St Lucy, the panels were stolen during the Napoleonic era and taken to Milan.
The Museum also houses a numismatic section, containing 240 coins minted at the city’s own mint.
The Gilded Bronzes from Cartoceto
But Pergola’s most precious treasure – the one for which the town is internationally renowned – is housed in the museum’s archaeological section, which boasts the only surviving group of gilded bronze statues in the world dating from Roman times: the Gilded Bronzes of Cartoceto in Pergola.
Discovered in 1946 in a pit just over a metre deep and five metres wide by two farmers who were digging the ground, the Bronzes consisted of 9 quintals of gilded fragments. Following careful and meticulous reconstruction work, the statues forming the group were reassembled: they consist of two female figures (the intact one is nearly two metres tall) and two horsemen in military attire mounted on their lavishly adorned steeds.
There are many intriguing theories regarding the identity of the figures (one of which suggests they belonged to the family of Emperor Tiberius, of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, 1st century AD) and the reason for the destruction of their statues: according to some theories, the bronze statues were looted (bronze was extremely valuable at the time) by bandits who, upon being discovered, had to hastily destroy and bury them; or, according to a less likely hypothesis, the family members were victims of damnatio memoriae, having been tainted by a serious crime, so that their effigies were torn down to erase all trace of their existence, in accordance with Roman custom.
In the spring of 2019, a highly evocative immersive exhibition space was set up inside the museum, well worth a visit.
Pergoletta Santa
A journey through religious architecture
As you wander through the picturesque medieval streets of the town of Pergola, a large number of religious buildings stand out, almost all of which have been restored to their original splendour, such as the Church of San Giacomo, with its neoclassical interior, also known as Santa Lucia after the statue dedicated to the saint that was moved here, or the Church of Sant’Andrea, flanked by the town tower, which houses Claudio Ridolfi’s striking work of art, the ‘Mystical Marriage of Saint Catherine’.
An enchanting gem, a marvellous fusion of painting, sculpture and Baroque architecture, takes shape in the 17th-century Church of the Three Kings, named after Aurelio Lomi’s painting ‘The Adoration of the Magi’, which hangs above the altar.
A place of worship where the sacred and the profane come together thanks to the presence of eight plaster statues of Prophets and Sibyls, whom the Church regards as priestesses of Christian history.
One of the oldest buildings in Pergola is the church of Santa Maria di Piazza, dating back to the year 1000; the pointed arch portal remains from its original Romanesque-Gothic structure.
Of particular interest is the mid-15th-century fresco discovered behind the altar, the central part of which is completely missing – it was destroyed to make way for the niche, and only the face of Christ has survived.
Once past the distinctive centuries-old house, which bears the marks of over a hundred summers and a hundred winters in the dyers’ quarter, the 18th-century church of Santa Maria delle Tinte comes into view, with its unmistakable octagonal dome and late Baroque interior.
The most beautiful season
The revival of the Angel Dal Foco Theatre
Another architectural gem of the city is the Angel Dal Foco Theatre, housed within the historic building that once accommodated the Monte di Pietà’s warehouses.
Its layout is quite distinctive: not horseshoe-shaped, but rather mule-shoe-shaped, to suit the layout of the building that houses it.
Its reconstruction dates back to the mid-18th century, when Pergola was granted the title of ‘City’ by Pope Benedict XIV: to enjoy such a privilege, the community was required to have both a Town Hall and a theatre.
Reopened in 2002 following extensive restoration work, which had become necessary due to the extensive damage it sustained during the war (in 1948 it was occupied by displaced persons), today the theatre, with its very deep stage – on which, it is said, triumphant scenes of horses entering the theatre once took place – boasts over 250 seats divided into three tiers: boxes, stalls and gallery, and hosts a rich and interesting theatre season.
The building is dedicated to Captain-at-Arm Angel Dal Foco, a famous and adventurous military leader from Pergola who lived in the mid-14th century. It is said that he earned his nickname following a night-time assault, during which, to give the impression of greater numbers and sow greater confusion amongst the enemy ranks, he lit fires on the horns of oxen, reviving Hannibal’s famous stratagem.
A journey through flavours and aromas
From wine artisans to truffle hunters
Beloved by the Romans, extolled and celebrated by poets and writers, sought after for the dining tables of wealthy and affluent gentlemen as a veritable diamond of the earth, the truffle, the undisputed prince of the exquisite and traditional dishes of Pergola, attracts thousands of enthusiasts every year with its warm, aphrodisiac aroma, capable of enhancing the taste and flavour of any dish it is sprinkled upon.
Pergola, the ‘City of the Truffle all year round’, celebrates it with two events: ‘The National Fair of the Fine White Truffle’ in October, and ‘AmiAmo il Tartufo a Pergola’ in June, an event dedicated to the black summer truffle. In the Pergola area – one of the largest regions where this delicious gift of the earth can be harvested all year round – you can sample the various types found in the wild. An absolute must is pairing it with a good glass of Pergola DOC, with which the ‘prince of the woods’ goes perfectly.
One is then left awestruck by the spectacle offered to the senses by the historic Grifoleto vineyard, the oldest vineyard in the area, nestled in a bucolic and idyllic setting, where the fragrant and captivating Pergola DOC comes to life; this wine originates from the Aleatico grape variety, brought to the town in the 13th century from Tuscany and the Island of Elba.
Here, the winemakers at the historic Fattoria Villa Ligi produce this wine, rich in scents and aromas, with passion, care and respect for nature.
Pergola is also dedicated to the processing of visciola, a wild cherry fermented with full-bodied red wine from the previous harvest, which gives rise to Visciolato, a drink considered by many to be an aphrodisiac.
The pairing of this elixir with artisanal chocolate is now considered by many gastronomic experts to be an exceptional combination.
In the village of Serra Spinosa, Visciolato De.Co. is produced by the Gentilini Farm, which has been operating in the area for over a century.
During the most eagerly awaited time of the year, at Christmas, Pergola hosts the ‘Cioccovisciola’, an event where the flavour of the very highest quality chocolate and the heady taste of Visciolato come together in a blend of aromas and pleasures that delights the soul and the senses.
Out and about on two wheels
In search of truffles and sour cherries
A pleasant cycle ride through the tranquillity of rolling hills, amidst the melodious sounds of nature and the colours and scents that only the countryside can offer, as you explore the landscape surrounding Pergola.
All this is made possible by “Bike Therapy Pergola”, an association that combines sport with the local produce of the Pergola area.
The team organises exciting and enticing cycle tours, such as the ‘Cioccopedalata’ in December over the Feast of the Immaculate Conception weekend, as part of the ‘Cioccovisciola di Natale’ event, celebrating local traditions, with stops at various wineries offering tastings and samples of visciolato.
Or routes designed to explore the woods in search of different types of truffles, during the National Fair of the Precious White Truffle in Pergola, held on the first three Sundays in October.
Walks tailored to different levels, ensuring everyone can enjoy a healthy escape from the stresses of everyday life, whilst taking in the scenery and the exquisite produce that the land has to offer.
Discover the charms of Pergola
The Beauty Trail comes to life
Exploring the beating heart of the Marche region has never been easier. Criluma Viaggi is proud to bring to life Confcommercio Marche Nord’s ‘Itinerario della Bellezza’ project, transforming a guide to excellence into real-life itineraries, ready for you to experience.
Romantic weekends, days spent immersed in nature or cultural tours: we’ve created itineraries to suit all tastes and time constraints. The Criluma experience is the added value that guarantees you first-class treatment, comprising continuous support, personalised attention and immediate responses.