Montegranaro is one of the largest centres in the Province of Fermo, situated at 279 m. a.s.l., between the rivers Chienti to the north and Ete Morto to the south. Although tradition tells of roman origins and has handed down the name of Veregra, Montegranaro is only mentioned in documents for the first time in the 9th century, in Gregory of Catino’s Chronicon Farfense. A free commune in the 12th century, in 1387 it became a fief of the Venetian Zeno family. In 1443, after being sacked by Piccinino, it passed under the rule of the Sforza family and then under the Papal States until the Unification of Italy. Starting in the late 18th century Montegranaro has been known for its shoemaking tradition. Montegranaro is a very important centre for the shoemaking industry. Most of the local artisan activities are concerned with the manufacture of footwear and accessories by small- and large-scale factories. Through continuous research into technology and styling, Montegranaro is today well positioned on the global panorama as one of the leading centres of high-quality shoe manufacturing. The most significant monuments of religious architecture include: the Church of Sant'Ugo, erroneously called a ‘crypt’ or ‘cryptoporticus’, in actual fact a Romanesque construction that can be dated to around 800 B.C.; the Church of San Serafino da Montegranaro, dedicated to the saint of the same name (Montegranaro 1540-1604), but then buried in the Church of the Capuchins in Ascoli Piceno, where he died; the Church of San Francesco, that has an impressive travertine portal with decorative friezes, turned columns and the coat of arms of Sisto V at the top of the arch; the Church of the Saints Filippo and Giacomo, which contains a painting attributed to the Barocci school, depicting the Circumcision of Christ. The palaces of the families Conventati, Ranier - Luciani and Cruciani are also of great interest. The Torrione is also worthy of note, an ancient fortified mill with a history that can be traced back to before the year 1000, built on the plain of the river Chienti, in the district of the same name. Houses made of earth are widespread and well conserved throughout the municipal territory, testimony of an ancient rural civilisation. The most important even that takes place in Montegranaro in the summer is the Veregra Street Festival, one of the largest and most important Italian festivals of street artists: a whole series of entertainments are staged to represent the various expressions of urban arts: street theatre, music, dance, puppet theatre, contemporary circus, etc