Visit Fabriano
Fabriano is situated to the western edge of central Marche region at the foot of the Apennines, in one of the most extensive territories in Italy and one of the richest in natural beauty and art
An itinerary for your visit to Fabriano can start from the “Piazza del Comune” - known in the thirteenth century as "High Place". It was the centre for administrative life in Fabriano and is almost triangular in shape. It overlooks the “Palazzo del Podestà”, of Romanesque-Gothic style, with a beautiful round fountain in the center dating from the same period and known as “Sturinalto”. The Town Hall and the Bishop's Palace date back to the eighteenth century, and now houses the Art Gallery.
The “Palazzo del Podesta” is the oldest of the surviving buildings of Gothic civil local style, unique in Italy for his particular shape and with the form of a bridge in memory of the ancient river that flowed under the building. Built in 1255 in white stone, later altered several times, it consists of three buildings of which the central one has the characteristic ogival "big-vault", and some elegant three-light windows. Under the arch, there are some interesting frescoes (XIII-XIV century), which represent scenes of battle and a "wheel of fortune", driven by a female figure.
At the centre of square stands the Fountain, which is the symbolic monument of Fabriano, but also an important work of art, built in 1285 by Jacopo di Grondolo. Its shape recalls that of the most famous fountain in Perugia, completed a few years aerler by Nicola (1220 ca.-1280 ca.) and Giovanni Pisano (1248 ca.-1315 ca,). It consists of three concentric superimposed basins, the highest of which is circular, of bronze, supported by a cylindrical column also of bronze; the two lowest are polygonal limestone, with sides formed by mirrors separated by columns. The popular name of the fountain, Sturinalto, derives from the height reached by the water jet.
The Municipal Palace, former seat of the lordship of Chiavelli, dates from the fourteenth century. The traces of the original structure are visible on the ground floor. Historically, in the council chamber, one could admire a beautiful copy of the “Adoration of the Magi”, by Gentile da Fabriano. This building keeps in the courtyard the “lapidarium” with stones and inscriptions from Roman neighbouring municipalities. Another valuable building is the Bishop's Palace, the residence of the Priors of the city; it was destroyed by the collapse of the tower and then rebuilt, resulting in the transfer of the Judiciary in the Town Hall. Since mid-eighteenth century, it is the seat of the Bishopric. The façade, of the seventeenth century, is flanked by the clock tower, and consists of a portico with seven arches.
In the Palace is situated the Art Gallery which houses ancient works classified by subject and distributed in five rooms. Here are preserved frescoes and paintings dating back to XIII of the XV and XVI century, with works of the local school, such as Allegretto Nuzi, Antonio da Fabriano (1451-1489), Domiziano Domiziani (active in 1559), but also of Umbrian painters, like Rainaldetto da Spoleto (active in the XIII century), Ottaviano Nelli (1370 ca.-1445), Bicci di Lorenzo (1373-1452) and Neri di Bicci (1418-1492). One of the finest paintings of the collection is "San Giovanni Battista and San Venancio" by Allegretto Nuzi, which was once part of an altarpiece in the church of St. Mary of the Apennines, near “Cancelli”. The art critics consider this painting one of the masterpieces of Allegretto Nuzi, both for the solemn composure of the figures, and attention to detail.
Next to the gallery, there is "Portico of St. Francis." It is the reconstruction of a portico of the fifteenth century. The current form, with 19 lodges, was built in the late seventeenth century. In the Loggia some remains of the portal of Saint Francis Church emerge, built between 1291 and 1398, and a fresco of the fourteenth century.
Located across the façade of the former church of San Francesco, we find the Oratory of Charity, which was started in the late sixteenth century, and is the seat of the Confraternity of Charity. Of rectangular shape, with a trussed roof, inside fourteen boxes decorated with stucco and gilding are kept that depict frescoes by Filippo Bellini (active in 1594), with subjects from the Bible and the Gospel, focusing on seven "Works of Mercy."
Leaving the “Piazza del Comune”, and continuing along Via Castelvecchio we see more buildings of exceptional artistic value, such as the Church and Monastery of St. Catherine of the Olivetani, erected by Guido Chiavelli. In it were buried Guido and Chiavello Chiavello, lords of Fabriano. In the temple there is also a copy of the Holy Shroud, a polychrome wooden crucifix carved by Fra’ Innocenzo da Petraia (1592-1648) considered miraculous, and a carved canopy of the seventeenth century. Of strong mystical and religious influences, next is the Church of San Onofrio, which was built on the Franciscan Church of St. Jerome, the early fourteenth century. In 1478 it was dedicated to St. Onofrio. Inside, we can admire some wood work; a crucifix of the late fourteenth century, of German school, characterized by a strong realism and a fresco of the fifteenth century, attributed to “Maestro di Staffolo”.
Near the walls there is the Church of St. Augustine; the complex was decorated with frescoes in the refectory now kept in the “Pinacoteca Civica”. Particularly important are two Gothic chapels decorated with frescoes of the artistic school of Fabriano and Rimini of the fourteenth century. The cloister preserves a work of Lorenzo Salimbeni da San Severino Marche (early fifteenth century). Very impressive is the complex of St. Dominic and Saint Lucia. The church and convent were paid for by the Chiavelli family, who erected the chapel in 1373 . The church of St. Lucia Novella is of Gothic style. The chapels and sacristy present some decor and frescoes by Allegretto Nuzi. The monastery, which houses the museum of paper, is embellished with decorations by Antonio da Fabriano.
Another place to visit is the Piazza Garibaldi, where, under the "Portico of Vasari" that characterized the square in medieval times, you can get a pretty good idea of the economic strength of the medieval guilds. The Portico preserves the façade of stone emblems of the 'Art of Cobblers and a fresco of a student of Allegretto Nuzi from the fourteenth century and depicting the “Madonna and Child with Saint John the Baptist and St. Venanzio”.
Finally we reach the Cathedral of San Venanzio, founded in the late Middle Ages. Towards the fourteenth century the church was rebuilt in Gothic style, inside are some frescos of Allegretto Nuzi, dedicated to the events of San Lorenzo. The new church, consecrated in 1663, became the cathedral in 1728, when Fabriano was erected as Diocese, acquiring the title of city. The cathedral contains valuable paintings, among which we mention the paintings of Gregorio Preti (1603-1672), Salvator Rosa (1615-1673), and Giovanni Francesco Guerrieri (1589-1657). Also we mention the presence of a great painter, Orazio Gentileschi (1563-1639), the author of “Stories of the Passion and Crucifixion”, probably dating to the first two decades of the seventeenth century.
After exploring allow time to stop and enjoy some local traditional products such as “Ciauscolo”, a term that indicates a “small meal” consumed in small doses - according to tradition in between breakfast and lunch - and perhaps sipping a few glasses of the “Verdicchio di Matelica”.
See also history of Fabriano