Tolentino

Tolentino is a town and comune of about 20,000 inhabitants, in the province of Macerata in the Marche region of central Italy. It is located in the middle of the valley of the Chienti. History Signs of the first inhabitants of this favorable and fertile coastal zone, between the mountains and the Adriatic, date to the lower Paleolithic. Numerous tombs, from the 8th to the 4th centuries BCE, attest to the presence of the Piceni culture at the site of today's city, Roman Tolentinum, linked to Rome by the via Flaminia. Tolentinum was the seat of the diocese of Tolentino from the late 6th century, under the patronage of the local Saint Catervo. The urban commune is attested from 1099, assuming its mature communal form between 1170 and 1190, settling its boundaries through friction with neighboring communes like S. Severino and Camerino. From the end of the 14th century, the commune passed into the hands of the da Varano family and then the Sforza, before becoming part of the Papal States until the arrival of Napoleon. The Treaty of Tolentino between Bonaparte and Pope Pius VI was signed in the city on 19 February 1797: this imposed territorial and economic strictures on the Papacy. In 1815, at the battle of Tolentino, Joachim Murat was decisively defeated by Frederick Bianchi at the head of Austrian forces, resulting in his abdication. Tolentino returned to papal control until Italian unification in 1861. In the late 19th century industrial development decisively linked Tolentino economically to the rest of Italy. Industry Tolentino is home to the world headquarters of Poltrona Frau, the noted designer of leather furniture and automotive interiors — as well as hte Poltrona Frau Museum. Main sights Notable people The most famous Tolentinati are the saint Nicholas of Tolentino (c. 1246 – 1305) and the humanist Francesco Filelfo (1398–1481). Other notable people: Niccolò Mauruzi da Tolentino (1350 – c. 1435), mercenary Nicola Vaccai (1790–1848), musician Mario Mattoli (1898–1980), film director Transportation Tolentino is about 60 kilometres (37 mi) from the western Flaminia insertion to Rome and 40 kilometres (25 mi) from the Adriatic sea and A14 highway to the east: the SS77 highway connects the town to both these state routes. There are bus lines from here to the nearby minor towns and villages and a railway leading from Civitanova to Fabriano. The nearest major airport is Falconara (Ancona), about 100 kilometres (62 mi) from Tolentino but linked by highway, and there is a tiny airstrip for ultralight aviation in the town's immediate surroundings. External links Official website Biennale dell'Umorismo nell'Arte Basilica of S. Nicola da Tolentino Historical fair Tolentino 815