Belmonte Piceno
Welcome to Belmonte Piceno: the ancient history of the Marche town
Hello everyone! Today I will talk about Belmonte Piceno, a small town in the Marche region that has an interesting history to tell.
History
The municipality of Belmonte Piceno was one of the protagonists of the ancient history of the region, as evidenced by the Colle Ete necropolis. Discovered in the early 1900s, this necropolis returned to the world a series of tombs dating back to the 8th and 5th centuries BC, belonging to the highest social class of the community.
Among the most important tombs, stands out that of the Duce, a prince buried around the middle of the 6th century BC, with six two-wheeled chariots and almost complete armament. In this tomb were also found two famous bronze handles depicting a hoplite warrior with two horses side by side, called "the lord of horses".
Not only men's tombs, but also women's tombs: two women's burials were found with two-wheeled chariots covered with amber-decorated brooches, of Greek and Picene taste, iron lances and mace heads. It is presumed that these women were powerful women, mothers, wives or daughters of princes, from which the definition of the "Tombs of the Amazons" takes its name.
Etymology of the name
The town took the name Belmonte from its panoramic position between the valleys of the Tenna and Ete Vivo rivers. The adjective Piceno, on the other hand, was added to remind of the first inhabitants of the territory, to distinguish it from other homonymous municipalities scattered throughout Italy.
Society
The municipality of Belmonte Piceno has a population of 585 inhabitants and is a quiet and welcoming town, with a historic center rich in history.
Monuments and places of interest
Religious architectures
In the heart of the municipality of Belmonte Piceno stands the Church of Santa Maria in Muris, located on a hill at 263 meters above sea level. The panoramic view of this place of worship is 360°, between the valley of the Tenna river and that of the Ete river, just a few meters from the medieval village.
The Church of Santa Maria in Muris, dating back to the 14th century, was built with river pebbles and brick. The façade is in classical style, with a terra-cotta portal and a large rose window in the center, while inside you can admire various works of art, including a fifteenth-century painting depicting the Madonna and Child with two angels.
If you happen to be in the Marche region, I recommend stopping by Belmonte Piceno to get acquainted with its ancient history and discover the beauties of this small pearl of the Marche!
