For the province, see Province of Ascoli Piceno.

**Ascoli Piceno** (Latin: *Asculum*) is a *comune* and city in the Marche region, in central Italy. Ascoli Piceno is the capital of the province of the same name.

The central historical part of the city is built in marble called *travertino*, a grey-hued stone extracted from the surrounding mountains. Its central Renaissance square, *Piazza del Popolo* ("Square of the People") is considered one of the most beautiful in Italy.

Geography
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The town is in the valley of the Tronto river, at the confluence of this river and the small river Castellano and is surrounded on three sides by mountains. Two national parks border the town, one on the northwestern side (*Parco Nazionale dei Monti Sibillini*) and the other on the south (*Parco Nazionale del Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga*).

The *comune* of Ascoli Piceno has an area of 158.02 km2 (61.01 sq mi) and its altitude is 154 m (505 ft). It has a small exclave (*Piana della Forcella*, 0,5 km2).

Ascoli Piceno borders with the following *comuni*ː to the north, Venarotta, Rotella, Castel di Lama and Castorano; to the east, Castignano, Appignano del Tronto and Colli del Tronto; to the south, Folignano, Maltignano and the *comuni* of the province of Teramo (Abruzzo) of Ancarano, Sant'Egidio alla Vibrata, Civitella del Tronto and Valle Castellana; and to west with Acquasanta Terme, Roccafluvione and Venarotta.

Some mountains close to *comune* are Monte Ascensione, Montagna dei Fiori and Monte Vettore.

### *Frazioni*

The following *frazioni* (hamlets) are part of Ascoli Picenoː Bivio Giustimana, Campolungo, Caprignano, Carpineto, Casalena, Casamurana, Case Schiavi, Castel Trosino, Cavignano, Cervara, Colle, Colle San Marco, Colloto, Colonna, Colonnata, Coperso, Faiano, Fonte di Campo, Funti, Giustimana, Il Palazzo, Lago, Lisciano, Lisciano di Colloto, Montadamo, Monte di Rosara, Morignano, Mozzano, Oleificio Panichi, Palombare, Pedana, Piagge, Pianaccerro, Polesio, Ponte Pedana, Porchiano, Rosara, San Gaetano, San Pietro, Santa Maria a Corte, Talvacchia, Taverna di mezzo, Trivigliano-Villa Pagani, Tozzano, Tronzano, Valle Cupa, Valle Fiorana, Valle Senzana, Valli, Vena piccola, Venagrande, Villa Sant'Antonio.

History
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Ascoli was founded by an Italic population (Piceni) several centuries before the building by Rome of the important *Via Salaria*, the salt road that connected Latium with the salt production areas on the Adriatic coast. In 268 BC it became a *civitas foederata*, a "federated" city with nominal independence from Rome.

In 91 BC, together with other cities in central Italy, it revolted against Rome, but in 89 BC was reconquered and destroyed by Pompeius Strabo. Its inhabitants got Roman citizenship, following the developments and the eventual fall of the Roman Empire.

Population
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There are 49,203 persons living in the *comune* in 2017, for a population density of 311.4 inhabitants/km².

**Evolution of the population**


The people from this *comune* are known, in Italian, as *ascolani*.

Twinned towns
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Ascoli Piceno is twinned with:

* Germany Trier, Germany, since 1958
* France Massy, France, since 1997
* Slovakia Banská Bystrica, Slovakia, since 1998
* United States Chattanooga, United States, since 2006
* France Bayonne, France, since 2008
* Italy Norcia, Italy, since 2010
* Italy Amatrice, Italy, since 2010
* Republic of Macedonia Veles, Republic of Macedonia, since 2011
* Italy Civitella del Tronto, Italy

Gallery
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* Piazza del PopoloPiazza del Popolo
* Palazzo dei Capitani del PopoloPalazzo dei Capitani del Popolo
* Piazza Arringo fountainPiazza Arringo fountain
* Piazza ArringoPiazza Arringo

Other websites
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Wikivoyage has a travel guide about: ***Ascoli Piceno***

Wikimedia Commons has media related to ***Ascoli Piceno***.

* Ascoli Piceno official website Archived 2010-12-29 at the Wayback Machine (in Italian)

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* t
* e
Marche · *Comuni* of the Province of Ascoli Piceno |
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* Acquasanta Terme
* Acquaviva Picena
* Appignano del Tronto
* Arquata del Tronto
* Ascoli Piceno
* Carassai
* Castel di Lama
* Castignano
* Castorano
* Colli del Tronto
* Comunanza
* Cossignano
* Cupra Marittima
* Folignano
* Force
* Grottammare
* Maltignano
* Massignano
* Monsampolo del Tronto
* Montalto delle Marche
* Montedinove
* Montefiore dell'Aso
* Montegallo
* Montemonaco
* Monteprandone
* Offida
* Palmiano
* Ripatransone
* Roccafluvione
* Rotella
* San Benedetto del Tronto
* Spinetoli
* Venarotta

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