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

The Corso Ripano passes through the entire city. Taking it step-by-step for its entire length, one can admire the palaces and ancient dwellings of the renowned heroes and heroines who originated the history of Ripatransone. Starting from Piazza XX Settembre where we find the Town Hall and Hall of the Podestà, we descend towards the town  Duomo (Cathedral). 
Immediately to the left, we come upon number 72, the  Palazzo Lupidi-Boccabianca, which  distinguishes itself by its portal of ashlar travertine, while at number 74, just several meters down, we find the home of the sculptor, Uno Gera, or, more precisely, the Palazzo Tassoni-Gera.

On the other side, to the right, past the Banca di Credito Cooperativa di Ripatransone, we spot another papal building, the Church of Sant’Agostino, deconsecrated in1932 and then transformed  into a parochial conference room and movie hall. Today, it is the Diocesan Seat of the Museo di Arte Sacra (Museum of Sacred Art). Tombs of various eras were discovered during its restoration,  and in the second chapel to the right of the nave, the fresco of the “Madonna del Soccorso” (Our Lady of Succor), once thought to be lost, were discovered.    Also distinctive is the small Corinthian column just beyond, dating back to 1658, erected to commemorate the canonization of the Augustinian Bishop  Tommaso di Villanova.
To the right of the street stands Casa Bruni, residence of Ascanio Condivi,  biographer and friend of  Michelangelo.
The biography written by Ascanio Condivi had an official tone and sought to correct other biographies that circulated at the time which placed some doubt on Michelangelo’s character. Once the biography was published, Condivi returned to Ripatransone where he married the daughter of the poet Annibal Caro. He died at a young age, while crossing the Menocchia river to the north on horseback. 
After having crossed  Piazza Ascanio Condivi and Piazza Matteotti (each with their own dedicated audio segment), we return to Corso Vittorio Emanuele. This area is also distinguished by the presence of important historical buildings. Along this last  stretch, we must not forget Casa Tozzi Condivi  at number 22, and at number 46, Palazzo Cellini,  dating back to the second half of the nineteenth century. Continuing down the Corso, at the first intersection, we can go left to ascend Colle Belvedere San Nicolò (Saint Nicolò Belvedere Hill), in part bordered by the city wall. Being the highest point of the city, the entire landscape of the Belvedere of the Piceno lies before us. Especially during summer evenings, the hill comes to life and becomes a meeting place to relax and listen to good music. Returning, we cross  Piazza Guglielmo Marconi. Ahead, and immediately to the left, we find the  Palazzo of the Marquis, Bruti Liberati, while in front we find the Church of Santa Maria della Valle. Built to replace an old, derelict construction, it was built in the XIXth and XXth centuries in a Neoclassic style, but has undergone still other improvements in the past twenty years. From here we can reach Largo Speranza.

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