Cessapalombo, a real jewel within the Monti Sibillini National Park
Cessapalombo is a charming Municipality of the Province of Macerata immersed amid nature and tradition, located in the Monti Sibillini National Park and just a few kilometres
from the Civitanova – Foligno motorway.
The area is 27 sq km and is mostly woodland and mountainous.
The history of Cessapalombo has its roots in the Middle Ages, it begins between 1000 and 1200 AD, when in some writings the “castle” of Cessapalombo was mentioned, defined
“in curte caese Palumbi”. The name Cessapalombo = Caesa Palumbi, means “felled forest of the wild dove”. To confirm this translation, is the story of the obliteration of a wood at
“Colle Santa Maria” in a document of 1266. Following the earthquake of 1799, which seriously damaged the castle of Cessapalombo, there still can be seen the urban layout and the
Church of Saint Andrew, later rebuilt. Inside, we can admire the precious polychrome wooden statue of the “Madonna dell’Impollata”, which dates back to 1400.
The Municipality is made up of many hamlets, all of which go to constitute a zone, all to discover: Case Meschini, Casigliano, Colbottoni, Giardoni, Invernale, Col di Pietra, Montalto
and Monastero.
An area to discover: many differing hamlets
Montalto hamlet is to be found around the Castle bearing the same name in three separate townlands: Tribbio, Villa and Valle.
TRIBBIO hamlet, which owes its name precisely to its position: “trivium” = crossroads, seen directly below the castle. A part of the town is Palazzo Simonelli, where we find the former church of Santa Lucia, partially frescoed.
VILLA hamlet, comes from a Lombard settlement, it displays the Church of Santa Maria Ausiliatrice, with the fresco of “Mater Misericordiae with horsemen”, a fascinating Madonna who, with her cloak protects the people. Frescoes from 1468, it has been attributed to the painter from Bolognola, Giovanni Angelo D’Antonio.
VALLE hamlet, developed and grew around a small church dedicated to Saint Vitus, it still bears witness to the structure of the medieval village.
COLBOTTONI hamlet sees the Church of Saint Philip Neri which conserves a characteristic wooden panel inside.
MONASTERO hamlet and its history intertwine, and nearly coincide, with the events surrounding the Abbey of Santa Maria in Insula, known today as Saint Salvador.
A figure of note for the time, in this area, was Saint Romuald. It may be dated back to the early 11th century, according to tradition, it hosted a Benedictine settlement founded by the saint. The abbey is built upon the structure of a previous Roman villa. In the crypt, above the altar, we find a 13th-century “Madonna with Child” fresco, of the Ravenna school.
Of particular note within the crypt are the capitals of the columns which hold up the vaults. In the entrance portico to the upper church is a fresco depicting Saint George killing the dragon. Inside, in two facing niches, are frescoes that are attributed to Andrea De Magistris “La Vergine e la Maddalena” and “Saint Lucia and Saint Catherine”.
