Ancona is a large port on the Adriatic Sea and a city with a long and rich history. There are many monuments from different eras, from antiquity to modern times.
The city is beautifully situated on the hills sloping towards the Adriatic Sea. The port is located in a sheltered bay, which was used for mooring ships in antiquity. Ancona is one of the largest Italian ports. It has permanent ferry connections with many Italian cities as well as Greece and Croatia.
The origins of the city are related to the existence of a Greek colony in this place. In later centuries, these lands belonged to Rome, the Ostrogoths and finally to the Byzantine Empire. In the eighth century, Ancona fell under the authority of the popes and remained in the Papal State until the unification of Italy in the second half of the nineteenth century. In 1944, the city was conquered by the 2nd Polish Corps of General Anders. During the battle, no artillery was used to protect the civilian population. It also protected many of the local monuments from destruction.
The oldest monument of Ancona is the Trajan's Arch, built in the 1st century. It stands directly on one of the main streets of the city. The most characteristic buildings include the Romanesque-Byzantine cathedral of San Ciriaco, standing on a hill and being an excellent landmark. Valuable mosaics from the 5th and 6th centuries can be seen in the church of Santa Maria della Piazza, and the Renaissance loggia dates from the 15th century. There are many beautiful palaces from the 13th to 17th centuries within the Old Town.
Ancona's biggest attraction is the 17th-century Mole Wanviteliana fort, built on an artificial island within the harbor. It houses the Omero National Museum with a valuable collection of paintings and sculptures mainly from the Renaissance period.
