THE TOWN
Palazzo della Signoria
Jesi is a small town with 50,000 inhabitants situated in central Italy in the heart of the Marche region. Many important industries are based there, as well as a wide variety of agricultural and commercial activities . The town is a hive of activity in continuous expansion and evolution. Particularly dynamic and full of life, it is the birthplace of a number of world famous personages in the arts, culture, and sport, quite a rare thing for a fairly small town. It has a historical town centre of considerable interest, surrounded by a well preserved fourteenth century boundary wall. There are numerous monuments ( churches and palazzi) dating back to the medieval , Renaissance and baroque periods and some interesting works of art.
THE HISTORY
The town, Aesis, founded by the Umbrians, became an important Roman colony from 247 a.c., it was
conquered and destroyed by the Goths ( 409) and then by the Longobards; rose again and was included in Pipino’s donation
to the Church ( 756). In the XI th century, the town was established and
flourished for a time under the Swabians. The event destined to
remain the history books was the birth of Frederic II of Swabia in 1194.
According to legend, his mother, Constance, gave birth to her son in a
tent; a plaque commemorates this. The battles between Jesi and Ancona
were of epic proportions, battles in which
more than 5000 men fought for Jesi. In the XV th century, the town
was under the rule of the Malatesta, the Da Montone and the Sforza. In
1831 a provisional government was established and a national Guard was
created, but the unfortunate end of the revolution in Romagna brought
about its downfall. Jesi was one of the first towns to introduce the art of printing; in 1472 Federico de’ Conti da Verona printed the “Divina
Commedia” there. It is the birthplace of the man of letters, Angelo Colocci
( 1467-1549), of Lucagnolo di
Ciccolino, goldsmith and Benvenuto Cellini’s master, and of Gian Battista
Pergolesi, the musical genius who died at only twenty-six, composer of
such masterpeices as “La Serva Padrona” and “Stabat Mater”.
Today, the town of Jesi
is famous in the sports world because of its highly successful Fencing
Club which has produced World
and Olympic champions, such as Stefano Cerioni ( Gold medal Seoul 1988),
Giovanna Trillini ( two Gold Medals Barcelona 1992) and Valentina Vezzali
( Silver Medal Atlanta 1996). Also from Jesi, Sergio Rossi, world champion
for seven years on the run of speed-skating,
both on the road and in the rink. Valeria Moriconi and Virna Lisi, very
well known and talented stage and screen actresses were both born in Jesi
and spent their early years here. And last but not least,
the world famous footballers, Roberto Mancini and Luca Marchegiani,
who have both played for the Italian national team, both born in Jesi.
Teatro Pergolesi
Palazzo Pianetti
