Cingoli is a town and comune of the Marches, Italy, in the province of Macerata, about by road from the town of Macerata. It is the birthplace of Pope Pius VIII. It is one of I Borghi più belli d'Italia ("The most beautiful villages of Italy").
History The town occupies the site of the ancient Cingulum, a town of Picenum, founded and strongly fortified by Julius Caesar's lieutenant Titus Labienus (probably on the site of an earlier village) in 63 BCE at his own expense. Its lofty position at an elevation of about made it of some importance in the civil wars, but otherwise little is heard of it. Under the Roman Empire it was a municipium.
Main sights Cingoli is also known as the "Balcony of Marche" ("Il Balcone delle Marche") because of its belvedere (viewpoint) from which, on a clear day, the sight may encompass all of the Marche and further across the Adriatic Sea to the Croatian mountain tops.
Religious buildings Cingoli Cathedral (Concattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta) Collegiate church of Sant'Esuperanzio, Cingoli (Collegiata di Sant'Esuperanzio): Gothic church Santuario di Santa Sperandia San Benedetto San Francesco San Filippo Neri San Giacomo San Girolamo San Nicolò Santo Spirito Santa Caterina d'Alessandria San Domenico
Secular buildings Palazzo municipale Biblioteca Comunale ″Ascariana″
Museums Pinacoteca comunale "D. Stefanucci" named after Donatello Stefanucci Museo archeologico statale di Cingoli Museo del Lago Museo del Sidecar
Sport Cingoli has been host to the Italian Sidecarcross Grand Prix a number timesVENUES USED IN GP 1971-2005 The John Davy Pages, accessed: 2 November 2009 and have hosted on 16 May 2010.FIM Sidecarcross World Championship - 2010 Calendar FIM website, accessed: 30 October 2009
Twin towns — sister cities Cingoli is twinned with:
Aprilia, Lazio, Italy (2004)
References
External links Cingoli news Cingoli sport History of Cingoli: http://www.antiqui.it/cingoli.htm