Marche Breaks

Perhaps surprisingly, the first notable architectural development in the Marche after the Unification of Italy was the construction of theatres in Ancona, Jesi, Fermo, Fano, Cagli and a score of other towns throughout the region, most of which continue to provide a central cultural role.

But the greatest alteration to the face of modern day architecture in the Marche began with the creation of the Adriatic coastal resorts at the beginning of the 20th Century. Liberty style villas were built overlooking the beaches of many of the main resorts - at Pesaro (including the magnificent Villino Ruggeri ), Senigallia, Civitanova Marche, Porto San Giorgio and San Benedetto del Tronto - long before the arrival of foreign tourists in the 1970s.

It was not until the 1960s that the Marche Region saw any major industrial development, by which time town planners had learned from the mistakes made in other parts of the industrialised world, allowing urban landscapes throughout the region to remain more or less unblemished by these new forces of architectural destruction.

Recent restoration work in towns and cities throughout the Marche now makes it possible for the modern visitor to discover the architectural and artistic delights of one of the most unspoiled areas of Italy.

Useful links:

• Villino Ruggeri at Pesaro