Ascoli Piceno

Capital of Ascoli Piceno province in Le Marche region of central Italy, on the River Tronto, 84 km/52 mi south of Ancona; population (2001) 51,400. It is a trade centre for agricultural products (cereals, vegetables, fruit, and olives), engineering, and textiles; industries include chemicals, paper, and travertine mining. Tourism is increasingly important, with visitors attracted by the town's artistic heritage and folklore as well as by nearby Montagna dei Fiori, a winter holiday resort.

Formerly the ancient capital of the Picentines, Ascoli Piceno figured prominently in their struggle against the Romans 91–89 BC, and was an important medieval trading and textile centre on the Via Salaria.

Monuments include medieval and Renaissance churches and buildings, some dating from the 12th century. There are two musuems, one archaeological, the other containing works of art, and an art gallery, with works by Guercino, Strozzi, and Van Dyck, among others. The poet and astrologer Francesco Stabili (1269–1327), the historian Antonio Bonfini (1427–1505), the artist Ludovico Trasi (1634–1695), and the naturalist Antonio Orsini (1788–1870) were born in Ascoli Piceno.

Ascoli Piceno

Province of central Italy in Le Marche region; capital Ascoli Piceno; area 2,088 sq km/806 sq mi; population (2000 est) 369,800.