Sant’Ippolito stands on a hilltop, a short distance away from the right bank of the lower Metauro Valley, some 9 km from Fossombrone, in the midst of lush green countryside of fields, vineyards and scattered trees.
Founded by the people of Fossombrone between the 6th and 7th centuries, it’s named after an ancient 5th-6th century basilica dedicated to Saints Hippolytus and Lawrence which stood on the Roman Via Flaminia.
It became known for its engravers and marble workers who began in the 14th century (and perhaps as far back as Roman times) to quarry the local stone and marble, supplying materials and skilled labour for the many building works carried in the area and further afield. Today, this local art has turned Sant'Ippolito into a small open air museum in which almost every house is decorated with niches, stone entranceways, corbels, window frames, and a variety of other decorations.
Also the churches of Sant’Ippolito house works by local marble workers, such as the 14th century church of St. Giuseppe where also a canvas by the painting school of Barocci can be seen, the church of Sant’Antonio and the church of Sant'Ippolito.
The castle, which Federico da Montefeltro commissioned to Francesco di Giorgio Martini to build in order to defend the border between his lands and the territory of Fano, unfortunately has not survived, but for a tower and the still intact sandstone walls. The view from the walls is wonderful.
The ancient fortified villages of Reforzate (324 m) where in mid- July a threshing day is re-enacted and Sorbolongo (359 m), where in May you can take part to the “Snail festival”. They both once belonged to the city of Fano, now lie in the district of Sant' Ippolito. Each of them are still characterized by steep artificial slopes.