City tour to discover Montappone’s history, culture, and excellence

Historic Center - City Walls

A scenic walk through the heart of the village to admire the view stretching from Mount Conero to the Sibillini Mountains.

Italia Theater

The new Teatro Italia in Montappone is ready to welcome the theatre season! An exciting reopening with a programme of events that, on a monthly basis until March, will cater to the tastes of audiences with drama, comedy and family theatre, delighting the public with nationally renowned comedians and brilliant performances by regional artists. A programme designed for the local community, serving as both cultural enrichment and a catalyst for spreading beauty and light-heartedness, blending culture, tradition and modernity.

Church of Santa Maria and San Giorgio

Parish Church of St. Mary and St. George, protector of the town. The majestic structure stands in Piazza Roma on Montappone's main street. Founded on the remains of a Romanesque villa, it was consolidated after the 2016 earthquake. The elegant red-brick façade is embellished with high pilasters, a beautiful ornate white stone portal, a frescoed lunette and a large rose window.

Hat Museum

A Museum opened in 1991 and reorganised in 2014 in the new premises in Piazza Roma is dedicated to the hat: all the stages of straw processing are illustrated along the museum itinerary, from harvesting to selection, from weaving to stitching, up to the decoration and sale of the hat. Inside the museum there is also a special section entitled ‘Marche, tanto di cappello’ (Marche, a lot of hats), an original project that sees some of the excellences of the Marche region reinterpret the hat, giving life to spectacular productions: glass, paper, leather, ceramics, stone, food, music, wood, metal and fabric are the raw materials reworked by the skilful hands of master craftsmen and the creativity of designers. Hat Museum open by appointment.

Permanent exhibition “The Mad Hatter”

The exhibition Il cappellaio pazzo (The Mad Hatter), conceived by Giuliano De Minicis, owes its name to the character of the same name in Alice in Wonderland, a symbolic character representing the desire hidden within each of us to free ourselves from the constraints and limitations of time in order to express ourselves as our imagination dictates. Visiting the exhibition is like entering a wonderland, timeless like any work of art; an original and unique space showcasing the skills and creativity of those who have always dedicated their energies to creating hats, objects designed and crafted with absolute and free creativity, specially made from a wide variety of materials to showcase the imagination, creativity and skills of the master hatmakers of Montappone. There are 25 hats on display at this institute, inspired by the highest expressions of Italian culture: music, cinema, the local area, literature and food and wine. Each hat is a unique, entirely handmade work of art.

"Don Gildo Iommi" Municipal Library

The ‘Don Gildo Iommi’ municipal library in Montappone was inaugurated on 18 May 2019 with the aim of promoting reading and socialisation, including through cultural events. It has approximately 3,000 volumes for adults, teenagers and children. The collection is constantly growing and is mainly focused on fiction, although there are also books on personal development and local history. The library also participates in the Nati per Leggere (Born to Read) project, which aims to promote a love of reading among young children. Its users can take advantage of a study room, equipped with a spacious table and several workstations, as well as external, inter-system and inter-library loan services.

Worth visiting in the historic centre is the Church Oratory of the Most Holy Sacrament (currently closed), with a 14th-century brick portal surmounted by the coat of arms of the confraternity and a fresco “Madonna and Child” by Pagani

The Church of Santa Maria in Castello (currently closed), whose altar is adorned with another “Madonna and Child” by Pomarancio.

Church of Madonna di Gagliano

The Church of Madonna di Gagliano, located in the municipality of Montappone, in the province of Fermo, is a place of worship of considerable historical and religious importance. Its construction dates back to the medieval period, although it has undergone numerous alterations over the centuries, which have changed its original appearance. The last renovation dates back to about 30 years ago. The church stands at the intersection of three districts: San Pietro, Monte Vidon Corrado and Montappone. The building has a simple façade with a stone portal leading to the interior, which features a single nave. The interior houses a high altar dedicated to the Madonna di Gagliano, surrounded by works of art that bear witness to the devotion of the local community. The church is traditionally at the centre of a religious festival held in mid-August, attracting numerous worshippers and visitors. During this festival, the community celebrates the Madonna di Gagliano with processions, solemn masses and moments of gathering, keeping alive a tradition that has its roots in the history of the town. Despite the changes it has undergone over time, the Church of Our Lady of Gagliano remains a spiritual reference point for the inhabitants of Montappone and a place of interest for those who wish to learn more about the history and culture of the region.

“Lu Vullicaru” Nature Trail and Mud Volcanoes

From the bridge that crosses the river in Via Spazzi, there is a nature trail, accessible to schools and tourists, rich in vegetation, nestled between clay slopes, leading to a mud volcano, called ‘vullicaru’ in the local dialect. It is a small mud volcano - a sedimentary volcanic formation: clay and brackish water rise to the surface driven by percolating water. The phenomenon is influenced by the presence of Pliocene clay soils and underground pressure, which drag clay sediments along with them to create a small relief, similar to a miniature volcano. Similar volcanoes can be found in many areas of the Marche Apennines (such as Serra de Conti, Montegiorgio, Falerone, Rotella, Monteleone and Offida). In particular, in Monteleone di Fermo, more than six volcanoes have been documented in the past, often active during rainy periods or after seismic events.  Lu Vullicaru is now considered a point of naturalistic and geotouristic interest, useful for understanding the dynamism of the Montappone landscape. In the first part of the route, in a bend carved out by the river, an area has formed which, thanks to its particular acoustics, resembles a natural theatre: in recent years, acoustic concerts organised by the municipality and local youth associations have been held here.

Taste

During the tour to discover Montappone you can stop to taste the specialties of the area. Those wishing to indulge in lunch or dinner can choose the Palazzo Ricucci Restaurant, renowned for its typical local dishes, or stop for coffee or an aperitif at one of the downtown bars, such as Bar Centrale or Pizzeria Bar Monti Mauro, ideal for a break during your visit.

Shopping

For those who want to take home a memory of the area and the artisan tradition, Montappone offers numerous outlets linked to the hat, the symbol of the city. Among these, Cappellificio Sorbatti and Cappelleria DiChiara stand out, as well as other local businesses that allow you to discover the local “know-how” and choose unique, artisanal products.