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Feel Senigallia will remind you what to do and what exciting news is in the city (and surrounding areas).
Barbara (219 above the sea level) is located on a hilly ridge of the Marche region. It was founded by the Longobard (barbarians in the sense of foreigners), who chose this place as their settlement due to its proximity to the two rivers Misa and Nevola the flow in the valley.
The town is also really close to the bigger cities of Senigallia and Jesi. Moreover, its impregnable castle and territory have been for a long time disputed by Guelphs and Ghibellines.
The altitude of Barbara allows admiring wonderful landscapes all around: to the east, you can see Mount Conero, to the south Mount San Vicino and to the west Mount Catria, which is strongly linked to the history of the town.
The agricultural land around Barbara is focused on vineyards and wheat (called the “ancient wheat of the Marche region”). These two cultivations produce high quality wine and flour, which are exported all around the world and can be considered as the big pride of the territory.
The town still preserves its original name, which reminds the Longbard invasion (called barbarians in the sense of foreigners). Here, at the end of the VI century, they set one of their defensive outpost against the Byzantine city of Senigallia. In the VIII century, Franks defeated the Longbards and Barbara became an ecclesiastic fief. From this moment, people started to worship St. Barbara that today is the protector of the town. The 4th of December is celebrated as the Day of St. Barbara with the peculiar fireworks festival (“festa dei botti”).
In the XI century, the feud passed to the abbey of S Marina of Sitria, which is located at the base of Mount Catria.
Since then, the history of Barbara has always been linked to the Pontifical State and its important families of cardinals and bishops like Censi, Barberini, Albani. Inside the town hall and the abbey of Santa Maria Assunta it is still possible to find many important documents of that period.
Feel Senigallia will remind you what to do and what exciting news is in the city (and surrounding areas).