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Saint Emygdius (d. c. 309 AD) was a Christian bishop who is venerated as a martyr. Tradition states that he was killed during the persecution of Diocletian.
His legend states that he was a pagan of Trier who became a Christian. He traveled to Rome and cured the paralytic daughter of his host Gratianus, who had let him stay with him at his house on Tiber Island. Gratianus' family then converted to Christianity.
Emygdius also cured a blind man. The people of Rome believed him to be the son of Apollo and carried him off by force to the Temple of Aesculapius on the island in the Tiber, where he cured many of the sick. Emygdius declared himself a Christian, however, and tore down the pagan altars and smashed into pieces a statue of Aesculapius. He also converted many to Christianity; this enraged the prefect of the city.
He was made a bishop by Pope Marcellus I (or Pope Marcellinus), and sent to Ascoli Piceno.
On his way to Ascoli, Emydgius made more conversions, and performed a miracle where he made water gush out of a mountain after striking a cliff. Polymius, the local governor, attempted to convince Emygdius to worship Jupiter and the goddess Angaria, the patroness of Ascoli. Polymius also offered him the hand of his daughter Polisia. Instead Emygdius baptized her as a Christian in the waters of the Tronto, along with many others.
Enraged, Polymius decapitated him on the spot now occupied by the Sant'Emidio Red Temple, as well as his followers Eupolus (Euplus), Germanus, and Valentius (Valentinus). Emygdius stood up, carried his own head to a spot on a mountain where he had constructed an oratory (the site of the present-day Sant'Emidio alla Grotte). After Emygdius' martyrdom, his followers attacked Polymius' palace and pulled it down. (Text Wikipedia)
The award, the Blue Flag, is given annually to beaches and marinas that satisfy a number of essential criteria covering aspects of: - Water Quality
- Environmental Education and Information
- Environmental Management
- Safety and Services
The international Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) reported that has risen this year the number of Italian beaches to be awarded the prestigious Blue Flag award for clean water and pristine sands. Italian seaside resorts awarded a Blue Flag in 2013 were 135, four more than last year, for a total of 248 top beaches. Some 86% of last year's Blue Flag beaches were confirmed this year while nine new entries included resorts in Carrara, Tuscany, Francavilla al Mare in Abruzzo and a lake beach resort in Levico Terme, in the north-eastern Trentino-Alto Adige region. The northwest coastal region of Liguria has the cleanest beaches in Italy, 20, two more than last year, followed by the central Marche region with 18 and Tuscany with 17, one more than last year. Pristine eco friendly beaches could be considered another reason to visit lovely Le Marche. More infos on http://www.blueflag.org/ ;
Pictures: Mario Granatiero
Monteprandone is located in a dominating position on the river Tronto Valley.
The most ancient document on Monteprandone’s castle dates back to 1039, when Guido Massaro donated the castle and the church San Nicolò to the Abbey of Farfa.
The castle was then under the rule of Fermo. According to the tradition, the municipality’s name stems from Prandone or Brandone, the name of a warrior who struggled with Charlemagne.
Between the 14th and the 15th centuries Monteprandone widened its boundaries with the annexation of several castles. Its territory was reduced in 1935, when Porto D'Ascoli separated from the Municipality.
The Town Hall currently hosts the Giacomo della Marca’s Library, he was a theologian and saint born in Monteprandone at the end of the 14th century. The collection includes many restored codes with miniatures. Walking in the historic centre of Monteprandone, passing through medieval streets, visitors may admire the Collegiate church San Nicolò, where a beautiful wooden Crucifix of the late 14th century is preserved. Monteprandone offers a rich production of arts ceramics, and the appreciated red wine called Rosso Piceno.
Hi from Italy! Yes, I'm finally here again with my mom and my sister. I haven't had the chance to visit my family for 10 years, so it definitely feels good to be back. I'm staying at my mom's cousin's house and I'm glad I'll be able to update the blog during my stay, even if it takes forever with the slow Internet connection. My family lives in Ascoli Piceno, a medieval city located in the middle of Italy's east coast. During our arrival and the first part of our first day here (which is today) it was warm and sunny, but now it's raining cats and dogs. We went for a walk around the city and it feels surreal to be here again. Plus, as a history lover, it's perfect to be surrounded by Roman bridges and medieval buildings. I already ate too much, by the way: white pizza with corn, stuffed olives (olive ascolane), risotto, frozen yoghurt, mini pizza on the go and we still have dinner tonight. I already tried to snap as many pictures as possible. I'm so proud to show you the beautiful city I can call my temporary home again. Dress: Thanks to SUGARHILL BOUTIQUE // Espadrilles: CHANEL // Bag: BALENCIAGA // Sunnies: TOM FORD
Start at the Piazza del Popolo, the traffic-free, travertine-paved main square. This beautifully proportioned outdoor meeting place must be one of the most elegant provincial squares in all Italy. To one side of the square stands the Palazzo del Popolo, a splendid 13thC building guarded over by a monumental statue of Pope Paul III. Look inside to see the arcaded Renaissance courtyard.
Closing off one end of the piazza is the great Gothic church of San Francesco, a sober but pleasing building both inside and out.
The other main square, Piazza Arringo, is almost as impressive as its big sister and is flanked by the Duomo, or cathedral, and the town hall, or palazzo Comunale.
“Le Marche” region is part of Central Italy and offers a blend of northern atmosphere and southern charm. Sea, mountains and hilly rural landscapes dominate its geography and these three aspects have shaped the temperament of its population. Author Guido Piovene, in his book Viaggio in Italia (1957), defined “Le Marche” as being Italy in one region: “if one had to decide which Italian landscape was the most typical, one would have to choose the Marche… Italy, with its range of landscapes, is a distillation of the world; the Marche is a distillation of Italy.” Giosué Carducci, Nobel Prize Winner and one of the great poets of 19th century Italy, described “Le Marche” in these terms: “This land blessed by God is full of beauty, variety, liberty, with protecting mountains slowly lowering towards the sea, an embracing sea, with greeting, rising hills and shining valleys.” [...]
Barocci: Brilliance and Grace is one of the most stimulating and well curated exhibitions to be held in London in recent years. There is in fact a relative wealth of religious art exhibitions in London currently, the equally excellent Murillo & Justino de Neve: the art of friendship is on show at the Dulwich Picture Gallery. Taken together, these exhibitions offer a perspective on early modern religious art that in unusual in England. Furthermore, like the earlier Sacred Made Realexhibition, Barocci has proved a sleeper success and, while visitors are not queuing around the block as they were forLeonardo, the public is coming in a steady stream to view this previously most neglected of artists. Symptomatic of this is that only one of Barocci’s paintings, the Madonna del Gatto, is in an English collection (in the National Gallery itself) and, as the catalogue makes clear, has frequently been treated with disdain.
Wednesday evening, 1st of May, a public holiday here. Here, very sensibly, they take their holidays very seriously. We were sitting outside the local bar listening to a live band playing covers of Johnny Cash and Jefferson Airplane and other incongruities, while the sun set on a sweltering Labour Day Holiday. There was quite a crowd, young and old(er), many having just returned from a day on the beach. They were smoking, drinking, eating pizza and porchetta; these latter being sold from a van set up by a nearby hotel and the quality was excellent. But mostly people were strolling and chatting and the band went largely ignored, pity, because they were rather good. We have been here nearly eighteen months and know many of the locals, some only by sight, but that doesn't deter any one of them from approaching us to ask whether our house is finished yet, and they all do, and our answer is well practised, "No, not yet, but soon, in two weeks we hope." This news is greeted with hearty congratulations. "Yes", we go on to say, "there are only a few outstanding jobs, we are awaiting the electricity company, the plumber, the electrician and the carpenter to complete them." This information is followed by tight-lipped, knowing smiles, and the congratulations quickly turn to variations on "Good Luck!" What they don't know, and we don't dare say outright, even to ourselves, is that water or not, electricity or not, whatever or not, all our worldly goods are arriving from England in 2 weeks and we are moving in, whatever. Thus the optimistic quote above, which roughly translates as: "And one by one I left them behind me. Geometry! A job done to perfection." [...]
Tasting oil is really very subjective. The most important thing is whether it gives you a warm glow inside, but of course there’s much more to find if you care to search it out. It’s a bit like going to an art gallery – by just looking, you know which paintings touch you or leave you cold, then you listen to the audio guide and get a whole different perspective. Well if you want to delve the oily depths, follow our suggestions below… How to taste in five easy steps: - Find a small cup, about the size of an espresso glass. The best thing is actually a disposable plastic espresso cup.
- Cup it in your hand, put your other hand over the top and swirl the oil around. You’re warming the oil to release the flavour. The volatile aromatic compounds will evaporate out of the liquid state.
- Stick your nose into the cup and inhale deeply, like someone about to make a great speech. What do you smell? Your nose can detect maybe 10,000 different smells, whilst the rather pathetic tongue can only taste 5 things so this stage should give forth some riches.
- Now slurp the oil – sip a bit of oil and a bit of air to help spread the taste. What’s there? Grass, artichoke, almond, tomato leaf, hay, straw, spice and melon are all terms officially recognised by the International Olive Oil Council.
- Swallow the oil and wait for the tingle – a gentle stinging in your throat; this is a sign of freshness and is caused by the antioxidants/polyphenols which make olive oil so healthy.
- You’ll see that on the back of each of your tins, there are tasting notes from the olive farmer who made your oil. Do you agree with them? Or do you taste lemon when they taste almonds?
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"I Forzati della strada" (The Convicts of the Road) vintage ride event will be held on July 28th in Montelparo, the beautiful village overlooking the hills of the province of Fermo in the Marche region.
The name "I Forzati della Strada" originates from French journalist Albert Londres.
The event is part of the Giro d’Italia d’Epoca and offers participants the opportunity to choose between two routes of 40 km and 80 km, all in the open countryside and half on dirt roads. The group will be escorted by vintage cars and motorcycles, just to recreate the atmosphere cycling that is usually seen in faded black and white movies. Along the route way there will be a number of dining surprises of food and wine.
To give an oportunity to those that do not have a vintage bicycle, road bikes (no mountain bikes permitted) of any vintage will be allowed but cycling kits prior to 1985 will be required. Event information: www.iforzatidellastrada.it
The Domus, dated 1st century a.C., is in “Campo della Pieve” that is in Sant’Angelo in Vado (25 Km far from Urbino). It is a Domus of 1000 meters squares with many rooms every one decorated with an elaborate series of two coloured mosaics and polychrome mosaics and everyone is different from the other one.
The Domus of the Myth is one of the greatest discoveries of this last fifty years for the Central Italy and the Domus is baptized of the Myth because mostly mosaics represent classical mythological figures.
Every mosaic is well preserved and the high quality and the wonderful decorations show a very refined, cultured commission and very specialized workers in mosaic.
There you can admire really fine figures such as: Neptune with his wife Amphitrite on his special carriage “the Triumph Carriage”, Baccus and Medusa.
And then the “Triclinium” enriched with a Fishing Hunting: a moray bites a polyp and the polyp catches a lobster and all around this figure there are forty different decorated medallions and many geometrical themes in black and white.
A glimpse of life in Le Marche, Italy of 2 American expats running a farm, inn & cooking school DEEP in the Italian countryside! Without a tractor, it takes the help of three neighbors and their tractors, to help the couple to prepare the soil for the huge orto (fruit & vegetable garden)!
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Almost 61 years ago Luigi Fagioli died driving a sports car. This relatively unknown driver did the same as other legends who are more known to the public (Fangio and Ascari) and was even better some times. His impressive career ended unexpectedly in the tunnel of Monaco during the GP of 1952. In May the tragic accident occurred in the tunnel where the car hit the wall. Fagioli died three weeks later, on June 20th, as he struggled to cope with internal injuries who he lost in the end.
On June 9th 1898 Luigi Fagioli was born in a wealthy family at Osimo, (part of the province Ancona, region Marche). As a boy Luigi Fagioli was fascinated by the relatively new invention of the automobile and the ensuing racing. Blessed with great natural driving instincts, a young Fagioli spent several years participating in hillclimbing and sports car races before entering Grand Prix racing in 1926. The turning point for Fagioli’s career was in 1933 when team director and driver Enzo Ferrari invited him to change to Alfa Romeo. He replaced the famous Tazio Nuvolari in the Alfa P3 (Nuvolari changed to Maserati that year). Luigi did not take to much time to adjust and won the Coppa Acerbo, the Grand Prix du Comminges and the Italian GP. People often found Fagioli a daredevil who took unnecessary risks and often lost because of accidents. In spite of that his talent was rising and Mercedes bought the driver in 1934. [...]
Today, we had a class trip to Monte Conero and Sirolo. First up was Monte Conero – there’s a nice drive up to where you start the walk.
We walked to a viewpoint looking out over the Due Sorelle (two rocks out in the sea) and Sirolo. It was a lovely walk with absolutely fabulous views – really very impressive
Le due sorelle (those two rocks you can see just after the nice looking bay)
After the walk, we headed into Sirolo for a drink. Sirolo’s very pretty
The Association “Casale delle Noci” develop continuous activities, with the purpose of becoming a reference point for the territory improving, safeguarding and promoting the Excellence in craftsmanship which makes up the great Made in Italy trademark in the world, directing the youth to the culture of “know how” and developing a virtuous circle between past, present and future, between market, art and society. Promoting a culture which enables companies to forge commercial relationships and partnerships more easily. Made in Italy, a philosophy of life that the world appreciates and “envies” is the result of various factors including the culture of beauty (intended as feeling and intuition) and the relationship with a territory rich in stimuli. The international division of labour sees the majority of the Italian manufacturing businesses positioned at the top-end of the market, with small production lots where uniqueness, creativity, personalisation attention to detail and the quality of raw materials are appreciated. It is essential to keep the values of craftsmanship alive, to recover and develop them, even in a new style. The market might not be on local and district levels anymore, the manufacturing processes will be assisted by new technologies, materials will be renewed; mastering telecommunications will become essential in order to develop international business connections; new commercial interfaces will spring to life. To appreciate the Italian manufacturing process it is essential to make people understand how the artistic culture and the territory affect the design and production of the object (this goes for both the industry and crafts); to create a virtuous circle between market - art – society.
After the successful participation of last year, a group of 24 Italian companies from the Marche region will take part in the 9th edition of “Libya Build”.
Libya Build is slated to be the largest international event in the “new Libya”, specializing in construction, architecture and engineering, furniture and interior decoration, and will take place in Tripoli 19-23 May 2013.
At the Italian pavilion (Hall no. 4), which will consist of 119 companies, the group representing the Marche region will be the largest single Italian regional delegation.
“With a company for every 9 inhabitants the Marche region, located in central Italy and overlooking the Adriatic coast, has a dynamic industrial sector”, said Umberto Bonito of 3B Expo & Consulting, organizer of the Marche delegation.
The Marche delegation will consist of “a concentration of small and medium-sized enterprises, strongly “export-oriented”, with a wide range of specialization in the traditional sectors of the “Made in Italy” range, such as mechanics, building, wood and furniture, etc, and with a long history of trade relations with Libya”, added Bonito.
Whilst other international business delegations and conferences seeking meetings with officials have recently postponed visits to Libya, the Marche delegation seeks B2B contacts. [...]
Offida is one of the southern Marche's smaller gems. Offida has pre-historic origins, was dominated by Romans and was a feud in the 11th century. Offida is rich in monuments, starting from the castle’s walls and the stronghold, built according to a design by architect Baccio Pontelli.
Santa Maria della Rocca is today one of the most precious testimonies of the Romanesque architecture in the whole region and is one of the area's most important examples of Piceno monastic art. The building began as a Longobard castle before being passed to the Abbey of Farfa around 1000. The present building dates back to 1330, it has three high, slender polygonal apses, with a Gothic portal at the foot of the central apse. Inside, visitors may admire interesting frescoes dating back to the 14th century and belonging to the Bologna school. The frescoes around the apse were attributed to the monk Fra Marino Angeli of Montalto Marche, who worked in Offida in 1423. The upside-down sarcophagus used as altar dates back to the Roman age and represents the God Silvano. In the surrounding area is the beautiful crypt, composed of three naves, which become five in the transept .[...]
The unusual triangular main piazza dominated by the beautiful town hall - one of the finest examples of 15th century civic architecture in the Marche. The Municipal Palace (13th-14th centuries) has on its main front a porch with cylindrical columns and round arches made of brickwork. The arches hold a slender loggia.
The Sant’Agostino Sanctuary dates back to the 14th century and was re-built in the 18th century, it shows on its left side Romanesque-Gothic characters. Inside are paintings by local artists of the 17th and 18th centuries, as well as a precious reliquary of the Eucharistic Miracle occurred to Luciano in 1273.
The Church of Addolorata has a Renaissance porch and an earthenware cornice with a 16th-century fascia, adorned by 15th-century friezes.
Back in the town centre, a web of narrow alleyways beckon you to explore - look out for the numerous Renaissance details while you wander about. Then to round off a visit you could always buy some of the hand-made lace - pizzo a mano.
Lace making is one of Offida's most common crafts. Women can still be seen, seated at their doorways in old town passageways, working intently, often with great rapidity, with bobbins, threads of white or grey yarn and pins on designs of flowers and animals.
Do you know Italy… by region? It might seem like a lot to ask, but if you’re planning a trip to Italy, knowing Italy’s regions is a great place to start! The country is broken up into 20 official regions, which you can think of as districts—similar to states or provinces. What are the different regions, what are they known for, and which ones should you travel to? Here’s help!
Le Marche This relatively little-known region in central Italy is hilly and mountainous, and has long stretch of coastline along the Adriatic. Historically agricultural and poor, today, it’s known for its specialized industries, like furniture and textiles. Tourism is popular here, too—although there are far fewer tourists than in many of Italy’s other regions!—with travelers attracted to the region’s lovely beaches, mountains, and small towns. Visit Le Marche if: You’d like to get off the beaten path; you want to hit the beach (the beaches around Rimini are especially popular in summer); you want to hike or enjoy other outdoor activities; you’re on a budget. [...]
Wild edible plants are everywhere you turn in Le Marche. Not only is it free food, but eating wild plants is healthy and a... huge stride toward wilderness self-sufficiency.
In Le Marche, searching for wild greens can be a great side activity for Tourists interested in food and cooking.
Traffles, mushrooms or wild fruits are not always availables, so wild edible greens and the most desired asparagus can be a wonderful attraction for spring breaks. La Tavola Marche, always in front with these kind of promotional initiative, had, recently, guests foraging for wild greens in the field around the accommodation. Jason, the chef, helped them identifying the different edibles and with bags full of dandelion greens, poppy greens, crespigno & more they head into the kitchen to create a rustic tart with the fresh picked wild greens, ricotta & prosciutto.
After the work is done, guests dined on the efforts with a dinner filled with local seasonal dishes!
Domenico Alaleona (1881 - 1928) may not be a name familiar to contemporary audiences, but in his time he was highly regarded as a composer, musicologist, and choral conductor by the likes of Puccini and Toscanni. Alaleona represented the first Italian case of “musicologist-composer” , a role which today is predominant in comparison with the past. Domenico Alaleona was born in Montegiorgio, a small village in the south of Marche (central Italy) Alaleona belongs to that large group of composers who tried to renew the Italian musical language at the beginning of 1900s, by linking the retrieval of Gregorian chant and of Reinassance classical poliphony with the most recent composing techniques, and by completely ignoring the Romantic experience. The musical culture of that time was characterized by the lack of univocal certainties and by the consequent search for identity on the part of the artists, who were pursuing it towards different directions. The Italian musical panorama was dominated by the veristic opera, but parallely some new interests in Renaissance music were emerging, with the consequent revaluation of such figures as Frescobaldi and Monteverdi. Alaleona developped the “theory of the division of the octave in equal parts”, which would find accomplishment in two important theorical writings appeared on the Rivista Musicale Italiana in 1911: The modern horizons of musical technique. Theory of the division of the octave in equal parts and Very Modern Harmony, where , in his search for new linguistic codes and ethical horizons, Alaleona foretold the intuitions of great Central European composers, as Schonberg, arriving explicitly at theorizing dodecaphony. MIRRA is his only opera, composed 1908 - 1912, and was premiered in 1920, and then lay dormant until 2002: this recording captures a concert performance in 2003 by the chorus and orchestra of Radio France conducted by Juraj Valcuha. It bears hearing and demands attention! The story is adapted from Vittorio Alfieri's Greek-based tragedy in which Myrrha refuses to marry Prince Pereo, confessing that her secret passion is for her father Cinyras! Yes, a remodeled Electra story with all the requisite confrontations between father/daughter, suicides, and scandal. The music shows influence of Strauss, Debussy, Wagner, Puccini, Mascagni and other lusty sources.
Italy has a reputation for high quality local crafts, but the country’s artigiani – traditional artisans – have struggled to compete with the increasing commercialisation of their country in recent years. Indeed The Guardian reported that Italian artisans were turning increasingly to the internet and the convenience of selling to supermarkets, in order to try and make a living. It seems that the traditional crafts of Italy are in danger of being lost to mass production, with the demise of uniqueness and quality that such a move usually entails.
However, my wife is determined to fight for the country’s artigiani. From our Italian base in Le Marche Dawn Cavanagh-Hobbs, a co-founder in our family-run company Appassionata, is supporting and working alongside local artisans. The individuals that Dawn works with are often the third or fourth generation of their family to carry out the specialist local crafts. Their workshops range from tiny warehouses to ramshackle wooden huts.
Dawn explains,“I feel privileged to have had the chance to meet and support so many talented artisans in Le Marche. Appassionata’s ethos is to support small local businesses and to help the region’s economy wherever possible. Many of the artisans we work with have tiny facilities at their disposal but what they produce is incredible.” Read More
The people – the Marchigiani are unbelievably stubborn and inflexible in my opinion. Not strikingly positive qualities at first glance you might think? And indeed, perhaps one of the reasons why tourism has been slower to take off in the same way as other areas of Italy. For example, the Marchigiani still take their three hour lunch break each day. A concept which is absolutely alien to me as I’m doing well if I get time to eat a Pot Noodle at my desk while typing and talking on the phone simultaneously. When we were renovating our house in Marche, I remember flying into Ancona just before lunch and driving south along the A14 to get to the office of our Architetto. I was surprised to be met with the news that he was just going home for lunch for several hours, so perhaps I could wait until he returned. Initially I was surprised, even irritated, but then realised I actually admired this adherence to his values – why would he compromise on his lunch with his kids just because I had flown across Europe to meet with him?[...]
Researcher and eco-acoustic composer David Monacchi has been using DPA Microphones 4060 miniature microphones to capture the sounds of the rainforest as part of his long-term environmental sound-art project entitled Fragments of Extinction (A Sonic Journey into the Ecosystems of the World’s Tropical Rainforests, with the official endorsement of Greenpeace and WWF) David Monacchi, who is Professor of Electroacoustic Music at the Conservatorio G. Rossini in Pesaro, Marche, Italy, is collaborating with various institutions on this project, which involves traveling to some of the world's most remote areas of intact rainforest to record complex soundscape portraits.
Field recordings of environmental sound events, either natural or produced by anthropic contexts, provides the main source of sound research for the eco-acoustic approach. 'Concrete' materials become the basis for acoustic and anthropological research, sound documentaries, sonorizations applied to visual and performing arts and electro-acoustic compositions.
“Mediconterraneo - incontro di popoli e di prospettive” sessione estiva del 19° Premio Libero Bizzarri che si terrà dal 10 al 15 luglio presso la Palazzina Azzurra di San Benedetto del Tronto. L’iniziativa racconta il Mediterraneo del XXI° secolo grazie a scrittori, intellettuali, musicisti, cineasti con l’obiettivo di far crescere la conoscenza, far circolare idee, ridurre lo spazio a pregiudizi e luoghi comuni. La Palazzina Azzurra sarà sala cinematografica a cielo aperto, luogo di immagini, suoni, parole e degustazioni, luogo di incontri ed eventi che avranno come protagonisti autori, storie, e personaggi legati al Mediterraneo – (dm) – Tutto il programma disponibile su www.fondazionebizzarri.tk
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