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

The Church of San Michele Arcangelo, called di Sant'Angelo, was built from the 1200’s-1400’s and presents a single nave layout. While the Romanesque-Gothic  portal  is proof of its origin, its structure has been altered through the centuries, most recently in the twentieth century. This church contains religious paintings and other works of interest, such as fifteenth-century frescos. Until a short time ago, the fresco from the Church of S. Maria della Putrella  was also located here, but now is housed in the Pinacoteca (Picture Gallery). The Chapel of  SS. Crocifisso, to the right of the church, presents a distinctive feature: located within is a dressed simulacrum of unknown origin, which has been venerated for centuries.

In front of the Church of  Sant'Angelo we find the Church of  San Pastore, which probably dates to the year 1220. In the 1700’s, it was radically renovated under the influence of the Baroque style of the Filippini. For the occasion, a ceiling with three-dimensional paintings was created, from which the figure of the Madonna con bambino (Virgin with Child), Santa Caterina (Saint Catherine), and San Filippo Neri (Saint Filippo Neri) stand out. The restoration process also brought to light fourteenth century frescos found on the inside wall of the entrance.  The proximity of the Church of S. Pastore to the institute of the Teresiane nuns explains the presence of twentieth-century paintings dedicated to Santa Teresa d’Avila (Saint Theresa of Avila).
The street in the vicinity of the bell tower of Sant'Angelo  passes through the “Ferola”, a neighborhood of medieval origin.  The Museo del Fischietto e del Vasaio (The Whistle and Tray Museum), is located on this street and houses approximately 1,500 artifacts,. Visits to this museum must be scheduled in advance.  Just ahead, the so called “Complesso dei Grifoni” (Complex of the Griffins) features a facade covered by bas-relief sculptures in terracotta, dating back to the mid-1400’s.
We track back towards Piazza Cellini and the street that, passing through the ancient neighborhood of Roflano, brings us to the highest point of the town, where we began our itinerary. In this area, we can also find the lane dedicated to Transone, the legendary lord from whom the name Ripatransone derives.
The stairs, which facilitate the climb, pass through some of the most beautiful lanes of Ripatransone with architectural characteristics typical of the times in which they were built.
Turning to the right, into Via Fedeli, we come upon the narrowest lane known in Italy. Only 43cm wide, it was part of the defense system of the town. In fact, during the Middle Ages, the position of the streets were planned to facilitate the defense of the city against attacks. It was believed the narrow, torturous streets, with criss-crossing labyrinths, provided the citizens with the best hope of defending themselves.
From the narrowest lane of Italy, we reach the higher road and from here, through a lane that is just a bit wider at 80cm, we move on towards Piazza Donna Bianca de Tharolis.

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