Fermo

In the outskirts of Fermo three large necropolis have been identified and partially excavated: in contrada Mossa towards the east, in contrada Misericordia and Solfonara towards the west. The most significant period of reference of these necropolis is the proto-Villanovan one (from IX to VII century B.C.). The areas have been covered, and the findings are largely exposed to the National Archaeological Museum of Ancona and partly in the archaeological section "From Villanovan to Picenes", on deposit at the Palazzo dei Priori.

• The Roman theatre; scant traces of an amphitheatre also exist. Remains of the city wall, of rectangular blocks of hard limestone, may be seen just outside the Porta S. Francesco; whether the walling under the Casa Porti belongs to them is doubtful. The medieval embattled walls superposed on it are picturesque.[3]

• The cisterns of Fermo are an archaeological site situated on top of the hill, at 310 metres (1,020 ft) above sea level. Fermo boasts one of the most gigantic and well-preserved example of Roman cisterns in Italy. They were built around 1st century a.C. The structure is a rectangular construction of about 30 by 70 metres (98 by 230 ft) consisting of 30 underground rooms: they provided water for the city probably through public fountains. The underground pipe network above the cisterns was connected to a canal around the external walls. From the canal, small pipes brought water into the cisterns: water inlets are still visible inside the rooms. The cisterns are made of Opus caementicium which is the waterproofing old Roman concrete. The level of the water inside the rooms was about 70 centimetres (28 in) and the total amount of water inside was about 3,000 cubic metres (110,000 cu ft).[6]

Forest of Cugnolo, near Torre di Palme: located in the homonymous district is a rare example of intact Mediterranean maquis of the Adriatic coast. It extends for about 5 hectares (12 acres) and it is one of the Protected Floristic Areas of the Marche Region. It can be visited through an equipped path with a ring route that also touches the Grotta degli Amanti and eighteenth-century villas.

• Palazzo dei Priori, built between 1296 and 1525, the building is notable for the large metal statue of Pope Sixtus V atop the entrance portal. The palace houses the town's civic art gallery and archeologic collections. The Biblioteca Comunale contains a collection of inscriptions and antiquities.[3]

• Fermo Cathedral: Excavations undertaken in 1934–35 under the church's pavement brought to light remains from the age of Antoninus Pius (2nd century AD) and of a Palaeo-Christian basilica dating to the 6th century AD. This had three naves divided into four bays, with a raised presbytery. Of its mosaic decorations today only those in the apse are visible, depicting two peacocks near a kantharos surmounted by the chrismon, two typical examples of art in Ravenna at the time. After the destruction of this church by Christian of Mainz in 1176 by order of Frederick Barbarossa, the church was reconstructed in 1227 by Giorgio da Como. It has a Gothic facade made of Istrian stone, divided by light pillars and with a central rose window (1348), a bell tower from the same age, and a side portal. In the vestibule are several tombs, including one from 1366 by Tura da Imola, and also the modern monument to Giuseppe Colucci, a famous writer on the antiquities of Picenum. The interior reflects the late 18th century reconstruction. The building is now surrounded by a garden.[3] The cathedral own a chasuble which reputedly belonged to Thomas Becket. Becket was killed in 1170 and the chasuble presented to Fermo Cathderal by Bishop Presbitero.[7]
• San Francesco: church's choir dates to 1240, the rest having been restored in the 17th century.[3]
• San Martino
• San Domenico
• San Michele Arcangelo
• San Rocco
• Chiesa della Pietà
• Santa Maria del Carmine
• San Filippo
• San Zenone
• San Agostino

From the Girfalco or Girone, the highest point of the hill, there is a wide 180° view towards the coast, to the north towards Macerata and to the south towards Monterubbiano. In particular conditions of visibility it is possible to see the reliefs of Croatia. Other extraordinary views can be enjoyed from Torre di Palme, a hamlet of Fermo, south of the city and overlooking the sea.

It counts the hamlets (frazioni) of Camera, Campiglione, Cantagallo, Casabianca, Capodarco, Cartiera di Tenna, Concerie, Contrada Boara, Ete Palazzina, Faleriense, Gabbiano, Girola, Lido di Fermo, Madonnetta d'Ete, Marina Palmense, Moie, Molini Tenna, Montesecco, Montone, Parete, Pompeiana, Ponte Ete Vivo, Sacri Cuori, Salette, Salvano, San Biagio, San Girolamo, San Lorenzo, San Marco, San Michele, Lido San Tommaso, Torre di Palme and Villa San Claudio.