Recanati is called the city of poetry because the famous poet Giacomo Leopardi was born here. Standing on a hill, this pretty historic town has many preserved monuments and a pleasant atmosphere.
The city was founded in the 12th century, and a century later became a separate republic. Its period of greatest development was in the 15th and 16th centuries, when a great fair was held here, attracted by merchants from all over Europe. Today, the city is known mainly for its links with culture. In addition to Leopardi, the composer Giuseppe Persiani and the opera singer Beniamino Gigli were also born here.
The city center with historic buildings stands on a hill overlooking the nearby Adriatic coast. In narrow streets and squares there are several historic churches, such as the 12th-century church of Santa Maria di Castelnuovo, the 13th-century Augustinian monastery and the 14th-century co-cathedral of St. Greets. There are also beautiful Renaissance and Baroque city palaces here, and social life is focused on Giacomo Leopardi Square.
Among the attractions of Recanati are places associated with the artists born here. The most important of these is Casa Leopardi, the house where the poet was born. Currently, it houses a biographical museum with collections of memorabilia of him and his family. A separate museum is also dedicated to the singer Gigli, and the local theater is named after Giuseppe Persiani.
