| Revision as of 01:41, 23 September 2004 editCarol Fenijn (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users986 editsm interwiki -> nl← Previous edit | Revision as of 15:16, 24 September 2004 edit undoBill Thayer (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users11,865 edits mostly copy edits; a bit of reorganizing.Next edit → | ||
| Line 3: | Line 3: | ||
| The city is located 132 miles northeast of ] and 127 miles southeast of ]. | The city is located 132 miles northeast of ] and 127 miles southeast of ]. | ||
| The town is finely situated on and between the slopes of the two extremities of the promontory of ], Monte Astagno, occupied by the citadel, and Monte Guasco, on which the ] stands (300 feet). The latter, dedicated to St. Ciriaco, is said to occupy the site of a temple of Venus, who is mentioned by ] and ] as the ] deity of the place. | The town is finely situated on and between the slopes of the two extremities of the promontory of ], Monte Astagno, occupied by the citadel, and Monte Guasco, on which the ] stands (300 feet). The latter, dedicated to St. Cyriacus (S. Ciriaco), is said to occupy the site of a temple of Venus, who is mentioned by ] and ] as the ] deity of the place. | ||
| ⚫ | |||
| The name ''Ancona'' comes from ] and means "elbow". | |||
| ==Ancona sights== | ==Ancona sights== | ||
| ===Cathedral church of S. Ciriaco=== | |||
| The |
The cathedral was consecrated in ] and completed in ]. Some writers suppose that the original church was in the form of a ] and belonged to the ]. An early restoration was completed in ]. It is a fine ] building in grey stone, built in the form of a Greek cross, with a dodecagonal dome over the center slightly altered by Margaritone d'Arezzo in ]. The façade has a Gothic portal, ascribed to ] (]), which was intended to have a lateral arch on each side. | ||
| The interior, which has a crypt |
The interior, which has a crypt under each transept, in the main preserves its original character. It has ten columns which are attributed to the temple of Venus, and there are good screens of the 12th century, and other sculptures. The church was beautifully restored in the ]. | ||
| ===Other monuments=== | |||
| ⚫ | In the dilapidated episcopal palace ] died in 1464. An interesting church is |
||
| ⚫ | The ''Lazzaretto'' (''Laemocomium'' or "Mole Vanvitelliana"), planned by architect ] in ]. It is a pentagonal building covering more than 20,000 sq.m., built to protect the military defensive authorities from the risk of contagious diseases eventually reaching the town with the ships. Later it was used also as a military hospital or as barracks; it is currently used for cultural exhibits. | ||
| ⚫ | In the dilapidated episcopal palace ] died in ]. An interesting church is S. Maria della Piazza, with an elaborate arcaded façade (]). The Palazzo del Comune, with its lofty arched substructures at the back, was the work of Margaritone d'Arezzo, but has been since twice restored. | ||
| ⚫ | There are also several fine late ] buildings, among them the churches of S. Francesco and S. Agostino, the Palazzo Benincasa, and the Loggia dei Mercanti, all by Giorgio Orsini, usually called da Sebenico (who worked much at Sebenico, though he was not a native of it), and the ], which has ] additions. | ||
| ⚫ | There are also several fine late ] buildings, among them the churches of S. Francesco and S. Agostino, the Palazzo Benincasa, the Palazzo del Senato, and the Loggia dei Mercanti, all by Giorgio Orsini, usually called da Sebenico (who worked much at Sebenico, though he was not a native of it), and the ], which has ] additions. | ||
| The portal of S. Maria della Misericordia is an ornate example of early Renaissance work. | The portal of S. Maria della Misericordia is an ornate example of early Renaissance work. | ||
| The archaeological museum contains interesting pre-Roman objects from tombs in the district, and two Roman beds with fine decorations in ivory. | The archaeological museum contains interesting pre-Roman (]) objects from tombs in the district, and two Roman beds with fine decorations in ivory. | ||
| To the east of the town is the harbour. It was originally protected only by the promontory on the north, from the elbow-like shape of which (Gk. O/VKUIV) the ancient town, founded by Syracusan refugees about 390 B.C., took the name which it still holds. | |||
| ==History== | ==History== | ||
| Greek merchants established a purple factory here ( |
The ancient town was founded by refugees from ] about ], who gave it its name: ''Ancona'' is a very slightly modified transliteration of the ] Αγκων, meaning "elbow"; the harbor to the east of the town was originally protected only by the promontory on the north, shaped like an elbow. Greek merchants established a purple factory here (Sil. Ital. viii. 438). In Roman times it kept its own coinage with the punning device of the bent arm holding a palm branch, and the head of Aphrodite on the reverse, and continued the use of the Greek language. | ||
| When it became a ] colony is doubtful. It was occupied as a naval station in the Illyrian war of 178 B.C. (Liv. xli. i). ] took possession of it immediately after crossing the Rubicon. Its harbour was of considerable importance in imperial times, as the nearest to ], and was enlarged by ], who constructed the north quay, his architect being Apollodorus of Damascus. At the beginning of it stands the marble ] with a single opening, and without bas-reliefs, erected in his honour in A.D. 115 by the senate and people. | When it became a ] colony is doubtful. It was occupied as a naval station in the Illyrian war of 178 B.C. (Liv. xli. i). ] took possession of it immediately after crossing the Rubicon. Its harbour was of considerable importance in imperial times, as the nearest to ], and was enlarged by ], who constructed the north quay, his architect being ]. At the beginning of it stands the marble ] with a single opening, and without bas-reliefs, erected in his honour in A.D. 115 by the senate and people. | ||
| ] prolonged the quay, and an inferior imitation of Trajan's arch was set up; he also erected a lazaretto at the south end of the harbour, Vanvitelli being the architect-in-chief. The southern quay was built in 1880, and the harbour was protected by forts on the heights. | ] prolonged the quay, and an inferior imitation of Trajan's arch was set up; he also erected a ] at the south end of the harbour, Vanvitelli being the architect-in-chief. The southern quay was built in 1880, and the harbour was protected by forts on the heights. | ||
| After the fall of the Roman empire Ancona was successively attacked by the ], ] and ], but recovered its strength and importance. It was one of the cities of the Pentapolis under the exarchate of ], the other four being ], ], ] and ], and eventually became a semi-independent republic under the protection of the popes, until Gonzaga took possession of it for ] in 1532. | After the fall of the Roman empire Ancona was successively attacked by the ], ] and ], but recovered its strength and importance. It was one of the cities of the Pentapolis under the exarchate of ], the other four being ], ], ] and ], and eventually became a semi-independent republic under the protection of the popes, until Gonzaga took possession of it for ] in 1532. | ||
| From 1797 onwards, when the French took it, it frequently appears in history as an important fortress, until |
From 1797 onwards, when the French took it, it frequently appears in history as an important fortress, until Lamoricière capitulated here on the 29th of September 1860, eleven days after his defeat at ]. | ||
| ==References== | ==References== | ||
Revision as of 15:16, 24 September 2004
Ancona is a city and a seaport in Marches, northeastern Italy, population 100,507 (2001). Ancona is situated on the Adriatic Sea and is the center of an eponymous province.
The city is located 132 miles northeast of Rome and 127 miles southeast of Bologna.
The town is finely situated on and between the slopes of the two extremities of the promontory of Monte Conero, Monte Astagno, occupied by the citadel, and Monte Guasco, on which the Duomo stands (300 feet). The latter, dedicated to St. Cyriacus (S. Ciriaco), is said to occupy the site of a temple of Venus, who is mentioned by Catullus and Juvenal as the tutelary deity of the place.
Ancona sights
Cathedral church of S. Ciriaco
The cathedral was consecrated in 1128 and completed in 1189. Some writers suppose that the original church was in the form of a Latin cross and belonged to the 8th century. An early restoration was completed in 1234. It is a fine Romanesque building in grey stone, built in the form of a Greek cross, with a dodecagonal dome over the center slightly altered by Margaritone d'Arezzo in 1270. The façade has a Gothic portal, ascribed to Giorgio da Corno (1228), which was intended to have a lateral arch on each side.
The interior, which has a crypt under each transept, in the main preserves its original character. It has ten columns which are attributed to the temple of Venus, and there are good screens of the 12th century, and other sculptures. The church was beautifully restored in the 1980s.
Other monuments
The Lazzaretto (Laemocomium or "Mole Vanvitelliana"), planned by architect Luigi Vanvitelli in 1732. It is a pentagonal building covering more than 20,000 sq.m., built to protect the military defensive authorities from the risk of contagious diseases eventually reaching the town with the ships. Later it was used also as a military hospital or as barracks; it is currently used for cultural exhibits.
In the dilapidated episcopal palace Pope Pius II died in 1464. An interesting church is S. Maria della Piazza, with an elaborate arcaded façade (1210). The Palazzo del Comune, with its lofty arched substructures at the back, was the work of Margaritone d'Arezzo, but has been since twice restored.
There are also several fine late Gothic buildings, among them the churches of S. Francesco and S. Agostino, the Palazzo Benincasa, the Palazzo del Senato, and the Loggia dei Mercanti, all by Giorgio Orsini, usually called da Sebenico (who worked much at Sebenico, though he was not a native of it), and the prefecture, which has Renaissance additions. The portal of S. Maria della Misericordia is an ornate example of early Renaissance work.
The archaeological museum contains interesting pre-Roman (Picene) objects from tombs in the district, and two Roman beds with fine decorations in ivory.
History
The ancient town was founded by refugees from Syracuse about 390 BC, who gave it its name: Ancona is a very slightly modified transliteration of the Greek Αγκων, meaning "elbow"; the harbor to the east of the town was originally protected only by the promontory on the north, shaped like an elbow. Greek merchants established a purple factory here (Sil. Ital. viii. 438). In Roman times it kept its own coinage with the punning device of the bent arm holding a palm branch, and the head of Aphrodite on the reverse, and continued the use of the Greek language.
When it became a Roman colony is doubtful. It was occupied as a naval station in the Illyrian war of 178 B.C. (Liv. xli. i). Julius Caesar took possession of it immediately after crossing the Rubicon. Its harbour was of considerable importance in imperial times, as the nearest to Dalmatia, and was enlarged by Trajan, who constructed the north quay, his architect being Apollodorus of Damascus. At the beginning of it stands the marble triumphal arch with a single opening, and without bas-reliefs, erected in his honour in A.D. 115 by the senate and people.
Pope Clement II prolonged the quay, and an inferior imitation of Trajan's arch was set up; he also erected a lazaretto at the south end of the harbour, Vanvitelli being the architect-in-chief. The southern quay was built in 1880, and the harbour was protected by forts on the heights.
After the fall of the Roman empire Ancona was successively attacked by the Goths, Lombards and Saracens, but recovered its strength and importance. It was one of the cities of the Pentapolis under the exarchate of Ravenna, the other four being Fano, Pesaro, Senigallia and Rimini, and eventually became a semi-independent republic under the protection of the popes, until Gonzaga took possession of it for Pope Clement VII in 1532.
From 1797 onwards, when the French took it, it frequently appears in history as an important fortress, until Lamoricière capitulated here on the 29th of September 1860, eleven days after his defeat at Castelfidardo.
References
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty|title=(help)
