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PESARO (anc. Pisaurum, q.v.)

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Originally appearing in Volume V21, Page 281 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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PESARO (anc. See also:Pisaurum, q.v.) , a See also:city and seaport of the See also:Marches, See also:Italy, the See also:capital of the See also:province of Pesaro and See also:Urbino, situated on the See also:coast of the Adriatic 37 M. N.W. of See also:Ancona by See also:rail, on the right See also:bank of the Foglia, the See also:ancient Pisaurus. The ground on which it is built is only from so to 40 ft. above the See also:sea, but it is surrounded by hills—on the E. by See also:Monte Ardizio, on the W. by Monte Accio or See also:San Bartolo, which derives one of its names from the tradition that the See also:Roman dramatist L. Attius was See also:born and buried on the spot. Upon this See also:hill stands the See also:Villa Imperiale, the See also:foundation See also:stone of which was laid by the See also:emperor See also:Frederick III., built by the See also:Sforza, and decorated with See also:fine See also:stucco ceilings and See also:wall paintings and pavements of See also:majolica plaques. A new See also:palace was begun in 1530 by the See also:Genga for Eleonora See also:Gonzaga, but never finished. The city walls were in 1830 transformed into a public See also:promenade. Besides the ancient See also:cathedral of the See also:Annunciation (restored since 186o) with a 1zth-See also:century See also:mosaic See also:pavement, there are a number of smaller churches, several with See also:Gothic portals. One of these, the See also:church of San See also:Francesco, now used as a cathedral, contains the " See also:Coronation of the Virgin " by Giovanni See also:Bellini, the largest and most important of his See also:works outside See also:Venice. The most conspicuous buildings are the prefecture (a palace originally erected in 1455–1465 by the Dalmatian architect Luciano da Laurana for the Sforza, and restored by Francesco Maria della Rovere in the 16th century, the See also:Rossini See also:theatre (opened in 1818), the fortress of Rocca Costanzia (built by See also:Costanzo Sferza in 1474, Laurana being the architect), and the large lunatic See also:asylum. The composer Gioacchino Rossini, who was a native of Pesaro, See also:left all his See also:fortune to found a musical See also:lyceum in the city, and his statue by See also:Marochetti (1864) stands near the railway station.

The Olivieri library (established by the See also:

antiquary of that name, author of See also:Marmora pisaurensia, &c.) contains about 14,000 volumes, See also:MSS. of See also:Tasso, &c., See also:inscriptions and various antiquities, and a very fine collection of majolica (one of the best in Italy) from the old Urbino and other manufactories. The Museo Mosca, left by its owner to the See also:town, contains important collections of See also:faience, See also:furniture, &c. Among the See also:industries of Pesaro are the growing, See also:spinning and See also:weaving of See also:silk, tanning, See also:iron-See also:founding, and the manufacture of See also:glass and pottery. It is also the centre of a See also:rich agricultural See also:district. The See also:harbour is of no See also:great importance, but there is a small export See also:trade in See also:wine, See also:olives, silk and glass. Pop. (1901), 14,768 (town); 24,823 (See also:commune). Destroyed by Vitiges the Goth, the town was restored and strengthened by See also:Belisarius, and afterwards along with Ancona, See also:Fano, See also:Senigallia, and See also:Rimini formed the Pentapolis Maritima. In the course of the 13th century Pasaro was sometimes under the See also:government of the popes, sometimes under that of the emperors; but the Malatesta See also:family, which first took See also:root in the city about 1285; gradually became the real masters of the See also:place In 1445 they sold their rights to Francesco Sforza; and in 1512, through the See also:influence of See also:Julius II., the Sforza were supplanted by his See also:nephew Francesco Maria, See also:duke of Urbino. See also:Leo X. took the city away from Francesco and gave it to Lorenzo de' See also:Medici; but on Lorenzo's See also:death Francesco was restored and Pesaro became the See also:ordinary See also:residence of the See also:dukes of Urbino till the death of Francesco Maria II. in 1631, when it reverted to the States of the Church. It has formed See also:part of the See also:present See also:kingdom of Italy since 186o. Terenzio Mamiani della Rovere, poet and statesman, was born at Pesaro in 1800.

End of Article: PESARO (anc. Pisaurum, q.v.)

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