The Marche Region
Marche - Region of the central part of Italy
The Marche is one of the 20 regions of Italy placed in the central area of the peninsula. The region borders with the region of Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna, the small republic of San Marino, Umbria, Lazio, Abruzzo and the Adriatic Sea on the east coast.
The entire region is populated more or less by 1 million and five hundred people called Marchigiani.
Most of the region is hilly and a part of it is mountainous. The mountains in the region are part of the Appennine chain. The highest mountain is Monte Vettore, 2,476 m high. All the other mountains do not exceed 2,000 m.
The region has wonderful beaches,. The coastal area is 173 km long.
Video of The Marche
A bit of History of The Marche
The Marche was know since the ancient times as the territory of Picenum. The area near the coast was occupied by a tribe of Gauls called Senones. After the battle of Sentium in 295 BC the region was conquered by the Romans, which founded numerous colonies connecting most of them to Rome with roads.
The Goths invaded the region after the fall of the Western Roman Empire. After the Gothic War The Marche were part of the Byzantine Exarchate of Ravenna.
The name “Marche” comes from the marches of Ancona, Camerino and Fermo, the name of this part of the region during the ninth and eleventh century.
All the territory became part of the Papal State but with local lords and free communes. The commune of Ancona in the twelfth century was a maritime republic as it resisted to the Republic of Venice and the imperial authority of Barbarossa.
The region in the Renaissance period was part of the Papal States starting from 1631 when the last independent entity was dissolved. The 4th November of 1860 thr region was annexed to the new kingdom of Italy by a plebiscite. The Marche was the territory of the last battle for the union of Italy with the battle of Castelfidardo.
Tourism in the Marche
The region host tourist from all over the world. There is really lots to see and lots to do in the Marche. The coast has wonderful beaches and the hinterland has amazing landscapes.
The region has several art cities full of history.
Read are tourist guides of The Marche to learn more about all this and plan your trip.
Where to sleep in The Marche
We have selected many hotels, bed and breakfasts and country houses to help you plan your perfect vacation in the Italian region of The Marche:
Map of the Marche
