Sassoferrato
Sassoferrato: a town immersed in nature
Hello friends, today I want to talk to you about Sassoferrato, a beautiful Italian municipality in the province of Ancona in the Marche region. With its 6,823 inhabitants, Sassoferrato is a small town immersed in nature, surrounded by hills and mountains.
Physical Geography
The territory of Sassoferrato is quite extensive, covering an area of 135 square kilometers. It is located on the eastern slope of the Apennines, with altitudes ranging from less than 100 meters to the 1,276 meters of the summit of Mount Strega.
The inhabited center is divided into two districts: Borgo and Castello, located respectively about 300 and 600 meters above sea level. Three streams run through the territory of Sassoferrato: the Sanguerone, the Sentino, and the Marena, which converge within the town and continue to the east to join the Esino river.
The surroundings of Sassoferrato are characterized by high hills that rise to the north and east, while to the south and west are the mountains of the central Umbrian-Marche Apennines, including Mount Catria, Mount Strega, Mount Cucco, and Mount Nebbiano.
History
Sassoferrato has an ancient and eventful history, with two decisive historical events standing out: the Battle of Sentinum and the Battle of Mount Strega.
The Battle of Sentinum took place in 295 BC in Sentinum, an ancient Roman city located within the municipal territory of Sassoferrato. It was a decisive clash between the Roman Republic armies, led by consuls Quintus Fabius Maximus Rullianus and Publius Decius Mus, and those of the Italic coalition commanded by the Samnite general Gellius Egnatius.
The Battle of Mount Strega, on the other hand, took place in July 552 AD during the Gothic War. It was fought a few kilometers north of Sentinum, at the foot of Mount Strega, between the Byzantines led by General Narsete and the Goths led by Totila.
Monuments and Places of Interest
Sassoferrato offers many monuments and places of interest to visit. One of these is the ancient Roman city of Sentinum, the site of the Battle of Sentinum. Here you can admire the remains of the ancient city and relive the millennial history of the territory.
The Sassoferrato Civic Archaeological Museum houses a vast collection of archaeological artifacts that tell the history of the city and the surrounding area. In addition, the civic art gallery houses one of the most important icons depicting Saint Demetrius, created at the end of the 14th century.
Near Sassoferrato is also a thousand-year-old chapel, belonging to the majestic Nonantola Abbey, dedicated to Saint Peter de Giglionis. Here you can admire a rare sinopia and some mysterious esoteric representations.
Conclusions
In short, Sassoferrato is a very characteristic town immersed in nature, rich in history and artistic treasures. If you love nature and history, you cannot miss a visit to this beautiful Marche municipality!
