Discover Frontale: Castle Remains and Sant’Anna

Frontale brings together several layers of history: the medieval castle, the church of Sant’Anna, and an extraordinary liturgical book. Trail 175 also offers a distinct focus for planning your stay: it begins a few hundred metres beyond the town and leads to Pian dell’Elmo. This allows you to consider cultural history and a walking route as separate interests.

Castle remains and the history of Sant’Anna

The originally heavily fortified Castello di Frontale dates from the early years of the 11th century. Remains of its perimeter walls can still be seen today among beech and holm oak woods. The medieval castle also survives in the form of a tower base, incorporated into the bell tower of the former church of Sant’Anna. This bell tower is attributed to a medieval structure dating from the 13th or 14th century.

The church of Sant’Anna was built between 1960 and 1965 in the newer part of Frontale, after an earthquake destroyed the old village. Its façade features a majolica depicting Saint Anne, the Virgin Mary, and an angel. The town’s religious history also includes San Domenico Loricato: the parish church of Sant’Anna has kept his remains since 1776.

The Sacramentary of Frontale

The Sacramentary, a book dating from between 950 and 1000, offers another way to explore Frontale’s history. Its gilded silver cover is decorated with ivory inlays. The work was made in Ravenna. In 1049, San Pier Damiani donated it to San Domenico Loricato on the occasion of his investiture as prior of the Benedictine hermitage dedicated to the Most Holy Trinity. The hermitage was located in what is now the hamlet of Frontale, in the municipality of Apiro. The book’s date and its later donation mark two distinct stages in its history: its creation and the occasion on which it was handed over.

Trail 175 and other points of interest in the Apiro area

Trail 175 starts a few hundred metres beyond Frontale and leads to Pian dell’Elmo. If you plan to follow this route, check current trail conditions before setting out. This adds a route with a clearly identified starting area and destination to your visit to the area’s historical sites.

Among Apiro’s wider range of tourist attractions, the Museo Musi Tinti celebrates the traditional craft of charcoal making. The ecomuseum is dedicated to this subject and displays original objects as well as a reconstruction of a charcoal kiln. Another route offered by the municipality, “Dal Lago di Castreccioni alle vette del San Vicino,” leads to the Museo Musi Tinti on its second stage.

The Museo Musi Tinti has an entrance that is also accessible to wheelchair users. Assistive listening devices are available for some museum content. Check the current arrangements before your visit. This information concerns the museum in the wider Apiro area and complements the details about the historical sites and routes around Frontale.

A turning point in history

The history of the Resistance is also connected with Frontale. During a raid carried out in the Apiro area in late April, the two Pelucchini cousins, heads of the hamlet’s families, were shot dead in San Domenico di Frontale on 26 April. They were accused of sheltering partisans. These events are among the historical subjects that shape a stay in Frontale beyond its architectural and religious history.

Discover more destinations: Strada, Serravalle Di Chienti, Macerata, Esanatoglia, San Severino Marche, Gualdo, Montefano, Pioraco.

Back to the main travel overview: Macerata.