Civitanova Marche

Civitanova Marche is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Macerata in the Italian region Marche, located about 40 kilometres (25 miles) southeast of Ancona and about 25 km (16 mi) east of Macerata. Geography Civitanova Marche borders the following municipalities: Montecosaro, Porto Sant'Elpidio, Potenza Picena and Sant'Elpidio a Mare. History Civitanova was founded probably around the 8th century BC as Cluana by the Piceni Italic tribe, at the mouth of the Chienti river. The Romans captured it in 268 BC, and, in 50 AD, founded a new settlement, Cluentis Vicus (the current frazione of Civitanova Alta) on a hill near the sea. During the Barbaric invasion, old Cluana was destroyed by the Visigoths and much of the population took refuge in the Vicus. In the Middle Ages it was under the Aldonesi, da Varano, Malatesta, Sforza and Visconti. In 1440, under Francesco Sforza, a new line of walls was built, while a fortress was erected to protect the port. The city, attacked by Turk pirates and struck by inner feuds and by the plague, started to decay from the 16th century. In 1551 pope Julius III ceded it to the Cesarini family. Made Dukes by pope Sixtus V, the Cesarini enlarged the town with new walls, roads and palazzi, although the population's conditions remained generally miserable. Civitanova had 6,057 inhabitants in 1782. After the Italian unification, Porto Civitanova and Civitanova Alta became a single commune in 1938. It is now a renowned vacation resort. Demographic evolution International relations Twin towns - Sister cities Civitanova Marche is twinned with: References Notes External links Official website Studies Centre of Civitanova website International Studies Centre of Annibale Caro website The Dukes Cesarini at Civitanova website