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Wikipedia / Pesaro

Pesaro (; ) is a (municipality) in the Italian region of Marche, capital of the province of Pesaro and Urbino, on the Adriatic Sea.

As of January 1st, 2025, its population was 95,266, making it the second most populous city in the Marche, after Ancona. Pesaro was dubbed the "Cycling City" () by the Italian environmentalist association Legambiente in recognition of its extensive network of bicycle paths and promotion of cycling. It is also known as "City of Music" (), for it is the birthplace of the composer Gioachino Rossini. In 2015, the Italian government applied for Pesaro to be declared a "Creative City" in UNESCO's World Heritage Sites. In 2017, Pesaro received the European City of Sport award, together with Aosta, Cagliari and Vicenza.

Local industries include fishing, furniture making and tourism. In 2020 it absorbed the former of Monteciccardo, now a of Pesaro. Its of Fiorenzuola di Focara is one of ("The most beautiful villages of Italy").

History

The city was established as Pisaurum by the Romans in 184 BC as a colony in the territory of the Picentes, the people who lived along the northeast coast during the Iron Age. In 1737, fourteen ancient votive stones were unearthed in a local farm field, each bearing the inscription of a Roman god; these were written in a pre-Etruscan script, indicating a much earlier occupation of the area than the 184 BC Picentes colony.

A settlement of the Picentes tribe has been found at Novilara. The northern Picentes were invaded in the 4th century BC by the Gallic Senones, earlier by the Etruscans, and when the Romans reached the area the population was an ethnic mixture. The Roman separated and expelled the Gauls from the country.

Under the Roman administration Pesaro, a hub across the Via Flaminia, became an important centre of trading and craftmanship. After the fall of the Western Empire, Pesaro was occupied by the Ostrogoths, and destroyed by Vitigis (539) in the course of the Gothic War. Hastily rebuilt five years later after the Byzantine reconquest, it formed the so-called Pentapolis, part of the Exarchate of Ravenna. After the Lombard and Frankish conquests of that city, Pesaro became part of the Papal States.

During the Renaissance it was ruled successively by the houses of Montefeltro (1285–1445), Sforza (1445–1512) and Della Rovere (1513–1631). Under the last family, who selected it as capital of their duchy, Pesaro saw its most flourishing age, with the construction of numerous public and private palaces, and the erection of a new line of walls (the Mura Roveresche). In 1475, a legendary wedding took place in Pesaro, when Costanzo Sforza and Camilla d'Aragona married.

On 11 September 1860 Piedmontese troops entered the city, and after their win over the Papal States at the Battle of Castelfidardo 8 days later, Pesaro was subsequently annexed to the new Kingdom of Italy along with the entire Marche (and Umbria) regions.

Pesaro was significantly damaged in the 1916 Rimini earthquakes. Its historic centre was abandoned after the 16 August earthquake, leaving 14,000 displaced people crowded into 2,000 tents. Many villages in its hinterland also suffered collapsed buildings.

Demographics

Government

Main sights

Buildings and museums

Churches and other religious buildings

Cultural events and attractions

The Pesaro film festival (Mostra Internazionale del Nuovo Cinema) has taken place in Pesaro since 1965.

The Rossini Opera Festival has taken place every summer since 1980 in Pesaro, home as well as the Conservatorio Statale di Musica "Gioachino Rossini" founded with a legacy from the composer.

Sport

Pesaro hosts the home games of Victoria Libertas basketball; they play at the Adriatic Arena, the third biggest Italian indoor arena behind Mediolanum Forum in Milan and PalaLottomatica in Rome.

The city's other professional sports clubs are futsal club Pesaro Calcio a 5, volleyball club Volley Pesaro and football club Vis Pesaro dal 1898.

The city hosted the 2017 Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships.

Notable people

International relations

Twin towns – sister cities

Pesaro is twinned with:

Partnership

Climate

See also

References