Ancona

Ancona is strongly associated with the figure of Napoleon Bonaparte, who left an indelible mark on its history and cultural heritage. Among the events worth highlighting is the birth of the Republic of Ancona (1796-1798), whose principles were inspired by the values of the French Revolution.

We could also mention the "Marian miracle" at the cathedral of San Ciriaco on 25 June 1796; the siege of 1799 (18 March - 13 November), which saw Russian, Turkish, Austrian and insurgent contingents under the command of General Giuseppe Lahoz (who was wounded in the fighting and probably died at Villa Lollini in Pietralacroce) clash with Napoleon's army and its Cisalpine allies.

In addition, the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy (1808-1815), with the stay in Ancona of many representatives of the so-called "Napoleonides", including the Viceroy Eugène de Beauharnais and the future Emperor Napoleon III, long after the end of the Napoleonic Empire and with roles and contributions linked to the later phase of the Risorgimento.

The city is home to numerous sites (and objects) linked to the Napoleonic epic, some of which have disappeared while others still exist, albeit in different states of preservation, from Fort Cardeto to the Napoleonic Fort at Portonovo.

Finally, there are the written accounts left by Napoleon himself. From Bonaparte's own description of the city in one of his letters to his wife Josephine, to the future emperor's correspondence with the Directoire in 1797 on the subject of the city.