By Fabrizio Fiorenzano
Offida, a magnificent village rich in history and tradition, overlooks the relaxing hills of the Marche region, halfway between Ascoli Piceno and the sea.
The city is located in the Ascoli hinterland, on a picturesque hill in the Marche region that over the centuries has been the scene of many battles between Ascoli and Fermo, between Guelphs and Ghibellines. The town was once a military fortress, composed of a massive wall and square towers. Very little remains due to the wars and the 1943 earthquake.
Church of Santa Maria della Rocca
The spectacular and refined medieval architecture of the church of Santa Maria della Rocca. Marvelous both for its location and its structural form. The building is surrounded on three sides by cliffs overlooking the surrounding valleys, and offers spectacular views of the Marche hills.
Bobbin Lace Museum
The Bobbin Lace Museum is a tribute to the local artisan tradition, a humble art that has become a symbol of excellence in the Ascoli area. Precious testimonies of centuries of painstaking weaving are on display.
Bobbin lace, a popular tradition of Offida dating back to the 15th century, passed down from mother to daughter, became popular thanks to the Benedictine nuns in 1665.
Museum of Archaeology
The Archaeological Museum displays finds from the Picene necropolises of Offida and Spinetoli.
People’s Square
the beautiful triangular-shaped Piazza del Popolo, overlooked by the 11th-12th century Town Hall, enhanced by the loggia, and the Collegiate Church of Santa Maria Assunta.
Collegiate Church of Santa Maria Assunta
The church’s façade displays a variety of styles: Greek, Baroque, Romanesque, and Lombard. Two monolithic travertine columns support a large lunette containing the “Mosaic of the Assumption,” designed by P. Gaudenzi of Rome. Adjacent to the structure, a striped tower rises to house the white statue of the Madonna. The interior has a Latin cross plan, enriched with numerous stucco decorations and valuable works. Take the opportunity to descend into the crypt to admire a masterpiece. In 1920, local artisans built a miniature Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes from rock taken from Mount Ascension. Stunning!
Golden Serpent Theater
Built in 1820 in Baroque style with a proscenium or horseshoe-shaped design, a characteristic feature of 18th-century Italian theaters. In the atrium, four statues of the Muses greet us. The auditorium has 50 boxes, a gallery, and an auditorium. The fresco on the vault depicts Apollo and the Muses, along with eight medallions featuring illustrious faces of opera and prose.
Words by: https://amarche.it/prov/ascoli/cosa-vedere-offida
Photos by Fabrizio Fiorenzano
HIGH RESOLUTION PICTURES (Tiff or Jpeg) are available for sale upon regular request at the address: https://www.frcreations.it/contacts/ using the contact form with subject “Photo request“.
