Matelica a town of ancient origin

In the last few years many archaeological discoveries have elevated the importance of the city on a national scale and have excited the admiration of the experts. The first evidences of human presence in the Matelica territory date back to the Palaeolithic period. The Neolithic period saw the rise of Braccano, which was uncovered in the year 2000 and where ruins of an ancient village and areas of flint stone working were found. Beginning from the 8th century B.C., but above all during the 7th century B.C., the entire territory became densely populated: the extended areas of settlements and the necropolis, which developed along the valley of the river Esino, prove this hypothesis.

The archaeological find of several grape-pips of "Vitis Vinifera", recovered in a Picene tomb belonging to a princely family, is an extraordinary document of the ancient origins of wine-growing in the area. During the 7th century settlements converged on the central area of the territory corresponding to the location of the present town. Such evolutionary process changed from the beginning of the 3rd century B.C., when the territory was conquered by the Romans who, around the first half of the 1st century B.C., founded the “Municipium of Matilica ”, from which the present town takes its name. The Municipium flourished between the 1st and the 2nd century. A.D., as the construction of several monuments show.

The decline of the Roman cities, between the 3rd and 4th century A.D., affected also Matelica which, however, became an Episcopal state between the 5th and the 6th century. Under the Lombard rule and the dukedom of Spoleto, it became a castle. It was elevated to a free city around 1150, when the citizens replaced the feudal lords of the German empire with consuls. Between 1170 and 1180 the city was destroyed by Christian, the Archbishop of Magonza, who fought in the Marche region in order to re-establish the power of the Emperor Federico I. A new autonomy was re-established around 1210 snf in 1266, with the return of the Papal authority in the Marche region, Matelica passed under the rule of the Popes. Beginning from the end of the 16th century it was under the supremacy of the Brass family, who were vicars of the Roman Pope. In that period one of the main sources of wealth was the factories of the woolen cloths which declined after the return of Church in 1578. 

From 1619, the city was the residence of a Governor, but this privilege did not improve the economy. The French invasion and the fights for the national unification caused a complete decline of the woollen cloths industry and just some small tanneries remained. During the last century the economy has recovered and is now thriving. In the years following the Second World War, new factories were opened and some years after, thanks also to the presence of Enrico Mattei, other important industries have developed. The recently restored Palazzo Finaguerra, which is placed in "the heart" of Matelica, is the new residence of the Civic and Archaeological Museum.
When the restorations ended, technicians and experts of the local Monuments and Fine Arts Office organized the exhibition area, providing it with specific furniture for the museum such as showcases and boards, which have given back the original splendours to the rooms of the palace.

All the archaeological materials, which were once placed in the Piersanti Museum and in the stores of the Monuments and Fine Arts Office at Ancona, were completely moved to the new complex.
Palazzo Finaguerra is a museum in another museum, as all the decorations that you can admire on the walls, the ceilings and the doors of the building are delightful frames for the artistic materials placed in the palace.
Examples of excellent art are the paintings and the frescoes that you can appreciate in the wide stateroom and in the "gallery".

On the ground floor you can find a bookshop, a workshop, where restorers work to preserve the artistic materials housed in the museum, and some lapidary inscriptions. The exhibition consists of three departments: Pre-Roman history, Roman period and Middle Ages section.

Tourists and experts should not miss the opportunity of seeing the famous "Globo di Matelica", a kind of ancient solar clock found in the historic centre near the Government Palace during the 1980's of last century. The exhibition contains other interesting witnesses such as the tombs belonging to warrior princes discovered at Brecce and Crocifisso, or the furniture of the oldest Picene tombs found around Matelica.
The opening celebration of the Museum took place on 5th June 2004 in the presence of the most important city and local authorities.

This is a short description of the Museum and its collections - On the ground floor you will find a box office, a bookshop and an educational room. The exhibition is placed on the first and second floors. Here you can see pieces of art and archaeological finds, arranged in chronological order.

The first floor holds the Prehistory Department where archaeological finds, going back to Palaeolithic, Neolithic, and the Bronze Age, are collected.

Continuing your visit, you enter the Iron Age and the Necropolis Departments where you will appreciate pieces belonging to warriors' tombs and dating from the 8th century to the 4th century B.C.
Amongst the oriental styled tombs (8th century - 6th century B.C.), the most noteworthy and valuable are:
- Tomb n. 20, found at Cavalieri, and a cinerary vase that was inside it.
Tomb n. 93 and a little cylindrical box unearthed at Crocifisso.
- Tomb n. 172 with its precious vases, metal pieces belonging to a chariot and a bronze helmet, also discovered at Crocifisso.
- Tomb n. 53 and a helmet retrieved at Brecce.
- Tomb n. 1, discovered at Villa Clara and belonging to a warrior prince, as well as the helmet and the situla found inside the same sepulchre.
On the second floor you can admire roman antiquities such as coins, inscriptions and pieces coming from sepulchres dating back to the early centuries of the Roman Empire.

Visitors should not miss the opportunity of seeing the famous "Globo di Matelica", a kind of ancient solar clock found in the historic centre near the Government Palace during the 1980’s.

The exhibition continues with Middle Ages and Renaissance witnesses such as pieces of pottery and majolica.

The Piermarini Theatre was built in 1805 on the initiative of four citizens (Capeci, Acquacotta, Buti and Cameli) who financed the building works.

The architect Giuseppe Piermarini was commissioned to design the theatre, after he had retired to Foligno following a successful career at the court of His Majesty the Emperor of Lombardy.

Among he noteworthy work was his plan of the Scala Theatre that he finitiated  during his stay in Milan. Though the designs are autographed, the construction of the theatre cannot be ascribed to him.

The entrance leading to the stalls is perfectly in line with the front entrance that opened on to Via Civitella, which was the major street of Matelica till 1860.

The crowning tympanum is triangular in shape and has a purely demonstrative purpose. The front does not present the distinctive features of the theatre facades.

In 1849 the architect Ghinelli supervised the restoration work, as after just 37 years the building showed structural faults. Therefore, the proscenium and the stage were widened; all boxes were reconstructed and the location of 24 upper-tier boxes were rebuilt and set back from the stage.

In 1850 Giuseppe Recanatini was charged with the construction of six perspective wings and the painting of a big canvas representing the Town Square from the side facing the Church of Sufragio .

In 1873 the engineer Petrini carried out a further restoration. The repairs concerned the irregular hall and the stairs that were redrawn in a circular segment shape. Therefore, the balcony of the fourth order was reduced; the roof and the vault, which was the only work dating back to the period of Piermarini, were pulled down to erect higher retaining walls.

The painting section was modified and entrusted to the painter Buccolini from Camerino. The gilding is a work of Luigi Carbonari, whereas the backdrops must be attributed to Malagoti.

The opening celebration took place in 1812 with the staging of various plays, such as “ Oh! Che originale” and “ Il filosofo sedicente di Musca” by Mayer.