Macerata is the capital of the province of Macerata in the Marche region. It is situated on an upland which reaches 325m above sea level, and is about 25km away from the Adriatic Sea. It has a population of about 45,000 but thanks to students the number doubles during the academic year. It is a local University that has kept urban machinery up since the medieval times. Even though the city has its origins in 12th century, the original form of it hasn’t changed much until present days thanks to scrupulous preservation of the buildings and monuments.
The historical city center is surrounded by medieval wall with the gates looking out on the new buildings. It feels like living in two different eras. When you enter the center you feel like you are in totally different world. Everything that surrounds you is old but also beautiful and fascinating. All these factors make you want to discover the mysteries of its past. The walls speak for themselves through their appearance during days and nights because of the beautiful lightning which amazingly put in contrast dark alleys and bright lanterns. When walking in dark-bright alleys of the historical city center we meet many foreign students, including polish ones, who go for an evening walk either alone or in groups. The latter ones seem to be happy, they smile to life and I often hear them say beautiful romantic Italian words expressed quite loudly. Maybe it is the language, very melodic and harmonized with this place and entwined with hearts of sensitive youths on surrounding theatrical scene, that makes that their emotions perfectly suit the old fairytale of medieval Macerata? This fairytale has its treasures hidden deeply in the alleys of the old walls. Here begins our journey back in time.
The recognizable symbol of Macerata is Arena Sferisterio erected from 1819 to 1829 as a first playing field in this region for the local form of football with bracelet (aka. bracciale). It is a majestic theatre building, compared sometimes to Verona Arena, with the half-moon shape and stars shining on the spectators. Because of its great acoustic it is currently used as theatre during the season of operas and concerts in the summer. Sferisterio is visited by great international artists and gains an appreciation amongst the connoisseurs of the opera. It is a pride and joy of Macerata’s citizens. But one could not exist without another in any sense. During the opera season spectators try to present their newest creations. It is a real fashion show which is later shown in the local media. If someone cannot get tickets to the opera on time he should just take a walk in the evening near Sferisterio, watch the flash of the cameras and listen to the susurrous sound of clothes belonging to ladies and gentlemen who leave the restaurants and enter the Opera. During such nights Macerata becomes a big world. Unfortunately, it only lasts for 2 months. Everything beautiful comes to an end- that is the price of the beauty.
It should be also mentioned that Marche region used to belong to the Papal State and that is why a lot of relicts from that times remained in Mecerata. They include wonderful churches, cathedral, chapels with are architecturally interesting and rich in art– they are full of paintings and sculptures. In the church it is almost impossible to focus only on one painting because there is so many of them located one next to another with beautiful adornments that one should just sit down and contemplate in silence for a while in order to comprehend everything the authors aimed to convey.
Huge Cathedral of St Julien – the patron of Mecerata- invites all worshipers, atheists and tourists who come to Mecerata. St Julien is considered a patron of guests and foreigners. Perhaps this is the reason why there are a lot of tourists from many different countries who feel at home in Macerata?
Next to the Cathedral there is a Church of Santa Mary della Misericordia which is located in old chapel which was built in one day in August 1447 against epidemic. Later, a famous architect Luigi Vanvitelli rebuilt it in the first half of 18th century. Nowadays, it is a place of concentrated prayer. Tourists enter the chapel in silence and go sightseeing. There are a lot of things to see! Marbles, colours, paintings, faces, antiques, frescos and saints painted on the walls and ceilings. At first, you may feel confused but it is soon replaced with the feeling of happy and joy because each of these wonders will stay in your memory forever.
The Palazzo Buonaccorsi- a palace in Macerata, and the Coach Museum in the center were erected in 17th century. In the Palace which belonged to earl Simone Buonaccorsi we can find rich collection of art works, and in the Coach Museum we can find a precious collection of horse-drawn carriages from different eras and used for different purposes. Sometimes, my friend and I go to the Museum in order to rent a carriage for a ride to some place beyond Macerata. The Museum prepared one carriage for such a ride. After you get in the carriage and choose a destination of a ride, little door close and windows open on the both sides of a carriage and in front of you. You can feel the movement of the carriage while it keeps going and when it stops. During a ride, a lector tells you some interesting facts about your trip. Isn’t it wonderful? Nice, easy and light-hearted. Just like in a song!
Another object which should be mentioned is Palazzo Ricci – a majestic renaissance palace which possesses an interesting collection of Italian art from 20th century. Here we can find not only all works of the most avant-garde schools and streams of 20th century but also the newest trends.
Characteristic for the city with medieval past streets, squares, alleys and avenues are countless in this region. During a walk in the city I look at old buildings, their architecture and I see old walls tired of their age which give more charm to the city and fill the air with atmosphere of the past.
The Italians no longer see the beauty that surrounds them everyday, they are tired with old buildings which constantly need make overs and special care. The same situation is with our grandparents… they are tired because it is the same old movie for them. However, sympathy for history is gradually shifting towards different direction. For foreigners those old buildings are the treasures of the past, they are wonders which inspire us to contemplate and put noble thoughts into our heads. Surrounded by the history we can feel the presence of its spirit, even though we only find it in the form of still-life- walls, old houses, balconies, old gate which sing about old times ,tell about people who used to walk on the same streets we do now.
Here, past and present meet. In the evening Macerata becomes even more fascinating. We have an impression that we are in different world which is fantastic, positive and fabulous. I love going for a walk in the evening because it fills me with calmness and the transience of life is more perceptible. The transience is a beauty around us and the consciousness of value of the life which lasts in our soul when it’s happy. Now I understand why so many foreign couples decide to celebrate their marriage in Italy by coming here for their honeymoon.
I have already mentioned that Macerata is situated on an upland and this fact is very important for the local people or at least for those who live in the historical center. Usually we walk up and down stairways of vast variety- big, little and ones intended for horses from medieval times because, as we know, horses used to be the only form of transport. Horses had to be very careful, they slowly went up and down in order not to slip on the flinty stairways. Local people also had to be careful but mostly in the winter season.
The historical center is inhabited mostly by old people but also by students who like to make some noise at night. It is commonly known that students’ life has its ‘rituals’. There are many clubs, restaurants and pizza parlors in the center of a city so stressed students don’t have a chance to be bored. At this point two generations meet. Young people need a night entertainment and sometimes they do good. Old people want to sleep at night but in these narrow alleys the sound bounces of the walls and noise is very loud. This is the reason why two sides are fighting. Therefore, when students make too much noise next to someone’s windows it may happen that someone will pour water over student’s head, just like on Śmigus-Dyngus a water-prank day on Monday after Easter.
Who once was in Macerata, comes back to dig once again in his memories and to kiss the spirit of the past. Recently I visited Facebook pages of students who were in Macerata. I saw many photographs with the monuments in the background. Youths love and respect antiquity, see beauty in it – and this is a very good sign.
One more important thing is that old people are very respected and are under the special care of the city. If the family cannot secure good conditions for grandparents , they can ask for help adequate local offices and institutions.
I could list many more interesting places in Macerata but I will do it during next walk around the city. Are you in? Let’s go!
An interesting film about Macerata by David Kong you can watch here
Photos © Regina Puzyrewska and courtesy of the Municipal Council of Macerata