Ripatransone

Ripatransone
Comune
Comune di Ripatransone
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Ripatransone Location of Ripatransone in Italy
Coordinates:
Country	Italy
Region	Marche
Province / Metropolitan city	Ascoli Piceno (AP)
Frazioni	Carmine, Messieri, Petrella, San Salvatore, San Savino, Trivio, Valtesino
Government
• Mayor	Paolo D'Erasmo
Area
• Total	74.2 km2 (28.6 sq mi)
Elevation	494 m (1,621 ft)
Population (1 January 2008)
• Total	4,414
• Density	59/km2 (150/sq mi)
Demonym(s)	Ripani
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	63038
Dialing code	0735
Patron saint	Mary Magdalene
Saint day	July 22
Website	Official website

Ripatransone is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Ascoli Piceno in the Italian region Marche, located about 70 kilometres (43 mi) southeast of Ancona and about 20 kilometres (12 mi) northeast of Ascoli Piceno.

History

The hill of Ripatransone (whose name means "Rupes of Transone", a local feudatary who founded the castle here) was inhabited since prehistorical times, and was settled first by the Umbri and then the Piceni. After the Roman conquest it lost importance, regaining it in the Middle Ages when several castles were built here, being unified into a single town in 1096. In 1205 it was a free commune, existing in particular rivalry with Fermo and against Francesco Sforza. In 1571 it was given the status of City and that of diocesan see by Pope Pius V. After the Renaissance it was part of the Papal States, becoming part of unified Italy in 1860.

Main sights

• The Cathedral (Duomo), begun in 1597
• The medieval walls
• Monte Antico Gate
• Palazzo del Podestà
• Romanesque church of San Michele Arcangelo, with some 15th- and 16th-century paintings.
• Communal Palace (13th century)
• Palazzo Bonomi-Gera, housing the local museums

Summer school

In the summers of 2006 and 2007, the University of Bologna hosted an international summer school with students attending from all over Europe, along with Australia, Canada and the United States. Fifty international students travelled to Ripatransone and were absorbed into the town for two weeks. This program left many positive legacies, including a European Union-funded library and a significant boost to the local economy. In 2008, the program was moved to Queens University Belfast.

Twin towns

• Sapri, Italy, since 1996
• Zakynthos, Greece, since 1996

See also

Media related to at Wikimedia Commons