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| Regione Marche | |
|---|---|
| Name | Marche |
| Native name | Marche |
| Capital | Ancona |
| Area km2 | 9694 |
| Population | 1525271 |
| Provinces | Ancona; Ascoli Piceno; Fermo; Macerata; Pesaro e Urbino |
| Languages | Italian; regional dialects |
| Website | Regione.marche.it |
Regione Marche Marche is a region in central-eastern Italy on the Adriatic Sea, bounded by Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany, Umbria, and Abruzzo and including the city of Ancona, the port of Pesaro, and the medieval town of Urbino. The region features a landscape from the Apennine Mountains to coastal plains and is noted for Renaissance art associated with Raphael, the architectural legacy of Gothic churches, and culinary links to Italian cuisine traditions.
Marche lies between the Adriatic Sea coast and the spine of the Apennine Mountains, hosting peaks such as Monte Vettore and river valleys like the Metauro and the Esino; coastal towns include Senigallia and Porto Recanati. The province of Pesaro e Urbino borders San Marino and features the Conero Regional Park near Ancona and the marble quarries near Sassoferrato. The region's geology shows sedimentary basins studied in relation to the Apennine orogeny and seismic activity evidenced by events such as the 2016 Central Italy earthquakes.
Marche's territory was inhabited by Picentes and Umbrians before Romanization under the Roman Republic and incorporation into the Regio VI Umbria et Ager Gallicus; Roman monuments survive in Fano and Ascoli Piceno. During the early Middle Ages the area saw incursions by Goths and Lombards and later municipal autonomy with city-states such as Urbino and Fermo; the Duchy of Urbino fostered patrons like Federico da Montefeltro and painters such as Piero della Francesca. In the modern era the region became part of the Papal States until annexation to the Kingdom of Sardinia during the Italian unification and integration into the Kingdom of Italy.
Marche is governed from Ancona and is divided into five provinces: Ancona (province), Pesaro and Urbino (province), Macerata (province), Ascoli Piceno (province), and Fermo (province). Regional politics feature parties such as the Democratic Party (Italy) and Lega Nord contesting seats in the Regional Council of Marche; national representation is in the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate of the Republic. Administrative reforms followed statutes enacted after the Italian constitution of 1948, and decentralization debates reference laws like the Constitutional Law of Italy on regional powers.
Marche's economy blends small and medium-sized enterprises in manufacturing clusters around Ancona, Pesaro, and Fermo, specializing in furniture production linked to producers in Pesaro e Urbino and footwear firms associated with Fermo. Agriculture produces olive oil, wines from Colli Pesaresi and Verdicchio di Matelica, and cereals around Jesina; fisheries operate from ports including Ancona. Tourism revenues derive from cultural sites such as Urbino and seaside resorts like Riviera del Conero, while industrial districts interact with export markets through ports connected to Adriatic Sea shipping lanes.
The population concentrates in urban centers including Ancona, Pesaro, Macerata, Ascoli Piceno, and Fermo with rural communities in the Monti Sibillini area. Demographic trends show low birth rates and aging consistent with national patterns recorded by Istituto Nazionale di Statistica; internal migration links to metropolitan areas such as Bologna and Rome and emigration waves to United States and Argentina in earlier centuries. Religious life is centered on dioceses such as the Archdiocese of Ancona-Osimo and Diocese of Fermo.
Marche's cultural heritage includes Renaissance art from Raphael and patronage by Federico da Montefeltro in Urbino, Romanesque architecture in Ascoli Piceno and Fermo, and Baroque contributions in churches across Ancona. The region hosts festivals like the Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro celebrating Gioachino Rossini and folk events linked to local traditions in towns such as Loreto and Offida. Museums include the Galleria Nazionale delle Marche in Urbino and collections in the Mole Vanvitelliana of Ancona, while handicrafts persist in ceramics from Deruta-style workshops and lace from Burano-influenced centers.
Transport infrastructure connects Marche by the A14 motorway along the Adriatic coast and the A24 corridor toward Rome; rail services operate on lines such as the Adriatic Railway with stations in Ancona and Pesaro. Ancona's Falconara Marittima airport links to domestic hubs including Rome–Fiumicino Airport and international routes; ports at Ancona and Pesaro provide ferry services to Split and Durrës. Regional planning references works like the Ponte dell'Immacolata and flood mitigation projects along the Misa and Esino rivers.
Tourist attractions include the Renaissance walled city of Urbino with the Ducal Palace (Urbino), the beaches of the Adriatic Riviera such as Senigallia's Diva's Beach, the natural scenery of the Monti Sibillini National Park, and pilgrimage site Loreto with the Holy House of Loreto. Historic hill towns include Gradara with its Gradara Castle and medieval festivals in Ascoli Piceno featuring the Piazza del Popolo (Ascoli Piceno). Cultural itineraries highlight museums like the Museo Nazionale di San Matteo and musical heritage at venues connected to Gioachino Rossini and Claudio Monteverdi.