Cingoli

Cingoli is a town and comune of the Marches, Italy, in the province of Macerata, about by road from the town of Macerata. It is the birthplace of Pope Pius VIII. It is a member of the I Borghi più belli d'Italia ("The most beautiful villages of Italy") association. History The town occupies the site of the ancient Cingulum, a town of Picenum, founded and strongly fortified by Julius Caesar's lieutenant Titus Labienus (probably on the site of an earlier village) in 63 BCE at his own expense. Its lofty position at an elevation of about made it of some importance in the civil wars, but otherwise little is heard of it. Under the Roman Empire it was a municipium. Main sights Cingoli is also known as the "Balcony of Marche" ("Il Balcone delle Marche") because of its belvedere (viewpoint) from which, on a clear day, the sight may encompass all of the Marche and further across the Adriatic Sea to the Croatian mountain tops. Religious buildings Cingoli Cathedral (Concattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta) Collegiate church of Sant'Esuperanzio, Cingoli (Collegiata di Sant'Esuperanzio): Gothic church Santuario di Santa Sperandia San Benedetto San Francesco San Filippo Neri San Giacomo San Girolamo San Nicolò Santo Spirito Santa Caterina d'Alessandria San Domenico