Travelcast Piceno - Audio & Video Guide per la Provincia di Ascoli Piceno

At the highest point of  Ripatransone are situated the Piazza XX Settembre  and the Piazza Donna Bianca de Tharolis, both easily accessible by car and equipped with parking spaces. These are the  areas of  civic power of the ancient commune of Ripatransone, dominated by the Palazzo Comunale  (Town Hall) and by the Palazzo del Podestà (Hall of the Podestà), both constructed around the XIII century.

One can reach the Palazzo Comunale by the wide staircase in Piazza XX Settembre. Its grand stone entry arch is capped by the municipal coat of arms, which depicts a lion holding a fleur-de-lis, and advancing across  five hills. The Town Hall preserves the fifteenth-century Loggia degli Anziani (Loggia of the Elders), and many of the halls are decorated with frescos from various periods. 
Adjacent to the Palazzo Comunale is the Palazzo del Podestà, completed in 1304, an example of the transition from Romanesque  to Gothic architecture. We can observe, for example, the round arches of the arcaded loggia and of the double lancet window on the first floor which are typical expressions of Romanesque art. The central arch of the loggia is a lancet arch and, in the upper portion, several windows of the first floor present a trefoil form, with alternating  angles and curves, which resemble the shape of a flower or  leaf. This careful attention toward the refinement of decorative elements is typical of Gothic art. 
The wings of the Palazzo, to its left and right, were completed in the nineteenth century, as was the second floor of the building, with its square windows.
Also during the nineteenth century, the Municipal Theater was housed  within the Palazzo. Initially, it was called “Teatro del Leone” (Theater of the Lion), as an homage to the town symbol. However, in 1892, it was officially dedicated to the poet and patriot Luigi Mercantini, who was born in Ripatransone. Italian students have long memorized one of his poems,  “Spigolatrice di Sapri” (The Gleaner of Sapri) with its renowned refrain: “Eran trecento, eran giovani e forti. E sono morti” (“They were three-hundred, young, and strong. And they perished”).
The theater curtain illustrates a scene of the so-called Virginia ripana (Virginia from Ripatransone). In 1515, a young girl, who was kidnapped by Spanish mercenaries, preferred committing suicide with the help of her father rather than submit to violence. She was given the name Virginia  since this tragedy resembled  an episode dating to the Roman era which told of the centurion Lucio Virginio, whochose to kill his daughter rather than have her submit to the lust of the tyrant  Appio Claudio.
Under the loggia is the Bottega del Vino (Wine Shop),  where one may sample the specialties of  this town. Ripatransone is a member of the Associazione Nazionale Città del Vino (City of Wine National Association) as well as the  Associazione Nazionale Città dell'Olio Extravergine di Oliva (City of Extra Virgin Olive Oil National Association).
 

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