ANCIENT VILLAGES

Province of Macerata
Inhabitants 1209
Altitude 441 m ASL
Surface 19,48 sq km
Distance
from Macerata 50 km
i
Town hall:
Phone: +39 0737.42142
Mountain Community
Phone: +39 0733.637245
www.comune.pioraco.mc.it
protocollo@pioraco.sinp.net
WHERE TO STAY
HOTELS l
CAMPSITES
HOLIDAY VILLAGES
COUNTRY HOUSES
APARTMENT RENTALS
ROOMS TO RENT
FARM HOLIDAYS
BED & BREAKFAST
CARAVAN SITES l
YOUTH HOSTELS
MOUNTAIN DEWS
Its origins date back to 215
B.C.; it was originally inhabited
by primitive peoples, at the
Roman imperial time era it was
provided with different temples,
a theatre, thermal baths
and a swimming pool. Pioraco
experienced its most flourishing
period in the Middle Ages
under the Dukdom of the Da
Varano family from Camerino,
who boosted the manufacturing
of paper, thanks to the rags
trade. The village became very
famous for its paper mills, currently
distinguishing business
activity.
WORTH VISITING
Worth visiting is the parish
Church of St. Vittorino, which
preserves the remains of the
Saint; it was built on the ruins
of an ancient pagan temple: inside
you can see the traces of
ancient frescoes and a stone
font of 1646. The Church of St.
Francesco, dated 1327, is characterized
by an external polygonal
apse in calcareous stone
and preserves an Annunciation,
attributed to Arcangelo di Cola,
a painting of the Bolognese
school representing St. Carlo
Borromeo, and a Via Crucis by
Mancini. The Church of SS.
Crocifisso, in Lombard Gothic
style, contains a valuable painting
representing the Crucifix,
attributed to Girolamo di Giovanni.
The Church of Madonna
della Grotta, originally ancient
hermitage, preserves a wooden
statue of the 15 th century repre-
PIORACO
senting the Madonna with
Child. The parish Church of St.
Maria delle Lacrime, in the
hamlet Sepia, contains a valuable
painting of Giovanni Boccato
representing the Madonna
Enthroned with Child, dated
1466. Worth visiting are the rural
Churches of St. Paolo in the
hamlet Costa and the Church of
Fonte Venere in the hamlet
Seppio. Worth seeing are also
the interesting and documented
Paper and Watermark Museum,
the Fossils Museum
and the Mushrooms Museum,
housed in the Town Hall.
SOMETHING MORE TO
DISCOVER
The Latin name of Pioraco was
Prolaqueum, which means
“near the lake”, as in the past
the village was located near a
lake (dried up in 1660), that the
Potenza River, created above
the built-up area. If you want to
reach the village, you have to
cross the rough and narrow
Gorge of Pioraco, closed between
high cliffs with steep waterfalls.
WORTH TASTING
Local specialities are sausages,
including “ciauscolo”, wild
game, mushrooms, honey,
handmade pasta (tagliatelle
and vincisgrassi) and cakes
(crescia and Easter pizza).
SOMETHING TO DO
The following sport facilities
are available: a multipurpose
URBINO
PESARO
PIORACO
ANCONA
MACERATA
FERMO
ASCOLI PICENO
gym, a sports ground, two tennis
courts, two indoor Bocce
rink centres and climbing walls
on the Mount Gemmo.
WORTH DISCOVERING
The centre of Pioraco is situated
among three mountains:
Mount Primo (1300 m), Mount
Gemmo (1250 m) and Mount
Gualdo (1065 m), and belongs
to the Mountain Communities
of the Upper Potenza and Esino
Valleys (Comunità Montana
Alte Valli del Potenza e dell’Esino),
an area rich in vegetation
and beautiful landscapes.
Thanks to the particular geographical
features, the territory
is a suitable area for walking
and mountain-bike excursions,
at the discovery of the pure nature
and of its wonderful landscapes.
DON’T MISS OUT
Festa del patrono San Vittorino
(Feast of the Patron
Saint, St. Vittorino) - 8 th June;
Rassegna Musicarte (Musicarte
Show) - June; Premio cinematografico
Venanzio Biraschi
(Venanzio Biraschi Movie
Award) - Summer Time; Rassegna
di teatro dialettale (Dialect
Theatre Show)- August;
Festa dei cartai (Paper Manufacturer
Festival) - 14 th September;
Presepe vivente (Staging
of the Nativity) - 6 th January.
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