Monument to Cecco d'Ascoli

History of the Monument to Cecco d'Ascoli

The idea of a monument to Cecco, called "the great Heretic", long predates the statue. The first municipal resolution dates from September 13, 1864. For more than fifty years, opposition from the clergy's supporters and other obstacles prevented it from being built. The work came about when Count Roberto Fiocca-Novi, a native of Ascoli living in New York, founded a committee and raised funds among emigrants from Ascoli.

The statue was unveiled on June 28, 1919 in New York, before a large crowd. It was then shipped on the vessel Pesaro to Genoa and reached Ascoli by train in November of the same year. Placed on its pedestal on Piazza Matteotti and covered with a cloth, it never had an official inauguration, amid controversy and delays. The cloth was removed on the night of December 31, 1921 by five high school students, who climbed up with a ladder and knives. The municipality held the official inauguration in 2019, a century late, in the year of the 750th anniversary of Cecco's birth.

What to see at the Monument to Cecco d'Ascoli

The monument is a bronze statue portraying Cecco with a stern, solemn look. It rests on a marble base. At the 2019 inauguration it was surrounded by a garden. Visitors view the sculpture and pedestal from the square.

How to visit the Monument to Cecco d'Ascoli

The monument is outdoors, on a square in the historic center, and is viewed from outside. It makes for a short stop during a walk through town. Malatesta Fort in Ascoli Piceno and the Ponte di Cecco can also be seen from the square, so the three stops are worth combining.

Where the Monument to Cecco d'Ascoli is

The monument is on Piazza Giacomo Matteotti, in Ascoli Piceno. The square opens at the eastern end of the old town, at the start of the rebuilt Ponte Maggiore, which spans the Castellano stream.

Near the Monument to Cecco d'Ascoli

Looking south from the square, Forte Malatesta, rebuilt in the 16th century, and the Ponte di Cecco, of Roman origin, can be seen. The bridge was blown up by retreating German troops in 1944 and later rebuilt. Continuing into the center leads to Piazza Arringo, overlooked by the Cathedral of Sant'Emidio and the Baptistery of San Giovanni. More stops are on the page about things to do in Ascoli Piceno.