Orciano Di Pesaro: Frescoes, Rope-Making and Brickmaking History

Orciano Di Pesaro brings together cultural and craft themes with two named cycling routes. A fresco, historic architecture, and depictions of the town’s former rope- and brickmaking industries give the place a range of cultural points of interest. When planning your trip, you can decide whether art, local craft history, or cycling will shape your stay.

Art and Architectural History

The Madonna del Parto in the Chiesa di Santa Maria Nuova is a fresco dating from 1515; it was retouched in 1848. In the same church, the shaft of the Torre Malatestiana is incorporated into the left chapel, which is located at the eastern corner of the building. Two distinct architectural and artistic features therefore meet here: a dated wall painting and a tower shaft incorporated into a chapel.

The Palazzo Roveresco, also known as the Palazzo dei Della Rovere, is located in Montebello di Orciano and is one of the most significant examples of Roveresque architecture in the Provincia di Pesaro e Urbino. After the palazzo passed into the hands of the Della Rovere family, its piano nobile, or second floor, was restored in the 16th century. The rooms were decorated with stuccowork and frescoes attributed to Federico Brandani or the Zuccari brothers. The building’s story thus encompasses both its restoration and its interior decoration and artistic attributions.

Rope-Making and Brickmaking

The Museo della Corda e del Mattone is located in the historic center of Orciano di Pesaro. It focuses on the town’s former production of ropes, bricks, and other brick products. The second room presents the rope-making tradition through tools, a complete set of machinery, and rope samples of various types and for different uses. The brick room has a different focus: it displays historical and photographic records of the Fornace di Orciano alongside finished products and objects made from them. The two rooms illustrate different aspects of the craft—from machinery and rope samples to the records and products of the brickworks.

The Museo della corda e degli antichi mestieri was established to preserve the memory of local traditions and economic activities that have shaped the town’s appearance over time. The sculpture “Sole Deposto” by Giò Pomodoro also refers to the town’s history: it adorns the square where the sculptor’s birthplace once stood. The former Chiesa di Santa Caterina is now used as an auditorium.

Market and Specialties

The 27th edition of the “Mercato antico di San Rocco” took place on August 16 and 17, 2025. It recreated the fair days held in the late 19th century in the borgo between Valcesano and Valmetauro. At this edition, local restaurants and food stalls served typical specialties: tacconi, baccalà with potatoes, maritozzi, and meringues. The market thus combines a historical reenactment with a specific culinary selection.

Cycling Routes with Different Starting Points

The description of the official cycling route “Di vino in vino tra le colline del Bianchello del Metauro” gives its course from Marotta via Orciano di Pesaro toward Sant’Ippolito. Its description appeared in a regional cycling guide published in 2018. The description of the route “Tra i colli della Valle del Cesano,” also published in a regional cycling guide in 2018, names Orciano di Pesaro as its starting point and describes a route over the hills of the Cesano and Tarugo valleys toward Mondavio. The route descriptions therefore differ, among other things, in whether they name Orciano as a point on the way from Marotta toward Sant’Ippolito or as a starting point for a route toward Mondavio. Check route conditions before setting out.

Discover more destinations: Montevecchio, Peglio, Piagge, Calmazzo, Mercatale, Montelabbate, Barchi, Ca' Romano I.

For the broader travel overview: Pesaro - Urbino.