Venice & Dubrovnik Cruise - Ancona Page

It was foggy in Ancona but the Driver said it would clear at 10. Wrong! but we went out anyway, because you've got to do something. In fact, we walked up the road & a lot of steps to the Cathedral at the far East end of the port, which was well worth doing, as it is an attractive Romanesque building dedicated to St. Ciriaco (who?) The choir were practising. I went down into the crypt, which was very different in style.

From the walk up to the Cathedral		Further up
Almost to the Cathedral	At last! The Cathedral of St. Ciriaco	Lions hold up the portico
Side Chapel	Across the Nave	Interesting ceiling
Nave	In the Crypt	In the Crypt

We walked back down steps to the Piazza Senato & along narrow streets with high buildings to an arch with a café built in for coffee (€3), as it was not very warm & Avis was underdressed.

Piazza Senato	Palazzo degli Anziani XIIIC	Palazzo degli Anziani end on
Another church	As seen from the ship as we leave.	Typical narrow street with high buildings
Still some bomb damage from World War II	The Porta San Pietro XIIIC	Piazza Plebiscito - main square

Then, by the Church of San Domenico, which is at the top end of the Piazza Plebiscito, the main square. These churches vary considerably in character, so we went in. Someone was playing a Widor Organ Symphony - secular music.

San Domenico from the Porta San Pietro

San Domenico from the Piazza Plebiscito

The Nave

Down the Piazza Plebiscito, there are side streets, one of which has two arches. There is an alley at the bottom end which goes down to opposite the Chamber of Commerce & we went into its hall.

The Prefettura

Arches up a side street

The alley out. Chamber of Commerce below.

The Chamber of Commerce

Inside the Chamber of Commerce

Ceiling of the Chamber of Commerce

Further down is the Church of Santa Maria della Piazza. This is a bit bleak but has Roman mosaics in the basement. It is a short drop to the harbour. The mist had not departed all morning, so we returned to lunch.

Church of Santa Maria della Piazza

Bleak interior

Mosaics in the basement

After lunch, I went out again to mop up some tourist sites we had not seen in the morning. First, to the gateways at the East end of the harbour, off the beaten track for other sites. There are two: Trajan's & Clement's. Trajan's is the nearest.

Trajan's Gate from the wall	Trajan's Gate	Gives you some idea of the size
Part of the Roman Wall	Clementine Gate from the back	Clementine Gate, Trajan's & Cathedral

Back in the city centre, I visited the Church of SS Sacramento. Opposite is the theatre.

Church of SS Sacramento XVI-XVIIIC	Grand interior	Altar painting
Inside the dome	Little stained glass in Ancona	The Theatre