History

Cossignano is a peaceful village surrounded by greenery also known as Heart of Piceno thanks to its position closed to Ancona and Atri. It is located 400 metres above sea level in the hilly area between the headwaters of Menocchia and Tesino River.

According to historical and archaeological sources, it was a flourishing center of the Piceni civilization, which was able to maintain its autonomy until 268 BC when, it was incorporated into the Roman State victorious on Umbria and the Picenti.

Cossignano was originally called Castellum Martisa, “Castello de Marte” (castle of Mars). In Roman times the important road connecting Asculum (Ascoli) and Firmum (Fermo) crossed the area, where possibly the Cossinii gens of Tivoli had possessions, so that from the name praedium cossinianum the toponymic derived.

In the middle Age, the town became part of the Papal State and, unlike many other near castles that turned into different deployments during the wars in that times, remained always on “Guelph side”. In 1396, the Governor Andrea Tomacelli, decided to stay for a short period in Cossignano that became capital of the Region under his command.

The town, which presents the usual brick architecture of steep-sided marchigiani, is characterized by the square in a central position. The castle walls, dating back to the autonomy of the municipality (1291), were interspersed with towers and arches..

In the Ancient maps  we can find the presence of two doors: the door of the village, or Levante, still preserved and visible from Dimora Fontemaggio, and door of the sun, also called gate of the castle or San Giorgio’s door”

Places of interest in Cossignano:

• Santa Maria Assunta neoclassical Church. Built in 1792 on the site of the ancient farfense church of S. Maria, decorated in 1937 by Dante De Carolis. Inside is preserved a precious relic, donated by the Pope Niccolò IV,
• The municipal Palace with the bell tower (XV century), includes the historical archives of the town, a canvas depicting San Giorgio sceso and the red shirt of the Garibaldi Placido Malavolta.
• Church of Annunziata (1265) in the 2012, has been prized as “Meraviglia Italiana” ( Italian Wonder ) from Forum Nazionale dei Giovani. In the Church you can admire an altarpiece, pained by Vincenzo Pagani, depicting S. Antonio Abate, S. Antonio da Padova and S. Giobbe and the antiquarium comunale, that contains approx 500 archaelogical finds of different periods.
• Piazza Umberto I, the center of town, is a classic example of the only known as a “square” system and has retained its traditional role as the vital center of urban structures to the castle.
• Outside the town walls you can visit “casa di terra” in via S. Francesco, realized with soil and straw and “fonte del Piano”, a water storage tank.

Main events in Cossignano:

• San Giorgio Festival and Fair (23th-25th aprile): local products and craft.
• Traditional festival of “mixed fried stuffed” (end of July – beginning of August ) traditional dishes and local products.
• Cossignano Medieval Festival (end of July – beginning of August): reenactment.
• Medieval Festival “Ancient flavors of the Castle”: typical dishes of the Middle Age.
• “Cossignano, castellum Martis”: re-enactment at night.

For more information about events, places to visit and itineraries please check the web site Municipality.