Monsampietro Morico | Accommodation details

Historical Notes
Monsampietro Morico, nowadays the provincial capital of a territory which became “bifocal” in 1868 with the annexing of the previously autonomous municipality of Sant’Elpidio Morico alias Sant’ Elpidiuccio, was founded again in the year 1071, together with Monte Rinaldo Morico and Sant’Elpidio Morico (historical centre with a military vocation which lost the inhabitant and parish consistency in the year 1407,  “transferring” its denomination to the small nearby castle, Sant’Elpidiuccio), by a commander sent by the Bishop of Fermo.  This person, that by error of epigraphic interpretation was called Malugero or Maugero Melo, was non other than Ermanno M(ik)elo, from Puglia, son of the Norman Dragone of Altavilla, count of Puglia and Calabria.   Forced to find shelter in Naples and then in the Fermano area at a very young age, (following the violent death of his father), Ermanno was surely named from that time, with the diminuitive-pet name of Manuzzello.  He left, with other well known Normans, for the first Crusade - in 1099 - and nearly died during it.  As for the adjective Morico which accompanies and completes the “paleonimo”  Monsampietro, today it can be assumed that it is a not a derivative by the alleged Morica wife of  Malugero Melo, but rather the fact that the urban layout of this town center (just like the one of Monte Rinaldo and Morico, as that of the ‘oppidum’ - used to mean ‘main settlement’ in Roman times -  Sant’Elpidio Morico, and like that of many other “paleonimo” in Mor ) was characterized by the particular cuneus shape, of almost certain Picenum origin.

Monuments and Churches
- Romanic Church of San Paolo (1071)
- Church of  San Pietro and Sant’Antonio Abate (XVI century)
- Church of  San Francesco (1513)
- Church of  the Madonna del Carmine (1200-1300)
- Triptych Crivellesco (1400 – Carlo Crivelli) at the Municipal offices
- Church of  San Michele Arcangelo (1699) - at Sant’Elpidio Morico
- Triptych of Vittore Crivelli (1496) at the Church of San Michele Arcangelo

Local Traditions

Typical activities:crochet and “tombolo”, a local traditional way of making lace on a cushion
Food and wine: fried foods and game animals.