Situated along Gaspare Spontini Street and erected around 1430, it is dedicated to St. Stephen, the first martyr of Christianity. It was consecrated in 1723 and often restored. Later the church was fitted with a marble altar dating back to the seventeenth century, coming from the church of S. Francesco dei Frati Minori of Jesi. Above the front door you can admire a beautiful Baroque-Rococo wooden choir, donated by Gaspare Spontini to the parish church whose priest was his brother Don Antonio.
Erected towards the end of the eighteenth century and designed by Arch. Giannantonio Mengoni with Paolo Isidoro Capponi’s approval.
It holds an altar-piece depicting The Virgin with the Apostles (1620) by Cristoforo Roncalli, known as Pomarancio.
Here you can also admire a cup (1523) from the former church of Santa Maria d'Arco and a marble and wooden baptismal font dating 1708.
In the choir stalls above the front door, you will find the organ built by Feliciano Fedeli from Camerino in 1737 and restored in 1993.
Emperor Frederick II spent his childhood here!
A legend claims that Monte Roberto derives its name from Roberto il Guiscardo (1015-1085), while an historical document of 1079 reports that Roberto was probably a Longobard feudal layman, a "lord of the place”.
Monte Roberto became a real castle only in the course of the thirteenth century.
Visit the ancient Planina ,mentioned by Pliny the Elder, near St. Apollinare Abbey. Important ruins were visible up to the XVIII and XIX centuries: in 1881 a necropolis Piceno (VI century BC) was found in Noceto district and the remains which were then brought to light are now kept in the National Archaeological Museum of Ancona. Do not miss them!
In 1219 Monte Roberto was already part of the County of Jesi until its split in 1808.
Have a walk along G. Leopoardi Street, then the “Borgo”, the historical centre which developed in the XVII and XVIII centuries.
Downstream from Monte Roberto, you can visit Pianello Vallesina which had a remarkable increase in the last sixty years. It is partly divided with the municipality of Castelbellino and it initially grew around the church of Santa Maria del Trivio dating from the XVII century.
Do not forget to visit the church of St. Benedict built in 1921 – 1925.
Distance: km 5
Time advised: 75 minutes to go up, 45 minutes to go down
Difficulty: easy
Explore the wet route of the Black Crab on foot or on the saddle of a mountain bike, starting from the museum of Castelplanio and going downhill along Caciampa Street until the ditch.
You can also leave your car in the square in front of the Church in Macine-Castelplanio, also called Castelplanio Stazione and follow Via Copparoni until you reach the entrance of the route.
The path is flat at first, but after 2 km it climbs up to Castelplanio and ends near the Town Hall Square (Palazzo Mancini).
Along the route, you can admire the river-wood located in the border area between Castelplanio and Rosora.
The vegetation boasts rare tree species such as the white alder, the narcissus and the wild orchid and you can also find butterbur and pennywort.
Fonte del Coppo, dating back to the XVIII century, is the first water supply in Castelpanio and the quality of the ditch’s waters have been better since 1995.
This small river with waterfalls and small lakes is the ideal spot to enjoy a strict contact with a natural world of profound beauty. Be careful: avoid it after rain!












