Fano — Roman Colony
Province of Pesaro and Urbino
Fano was founded by the Romans as Fanum Fortunae along the Via Flaminia. The Arch of Augustus (9 AD) is the symbolic monument of the city, alongside the Augustan walls, among the best preserved in Italy. The Teatro della Fortuna, a neoclassical gem, hosts a rich opera season. The Carnival of Fano, documented since 1347, is considered the oldest in Italy and is famous for the 'getto' (throwing) of sweets from the floats. Also worth visiting are the Corte Malatestiana and the Archaeological Museum.
Foundation
Roman Age
Carnival
Documented since 1347
Other places in Pesaro-Urbino
Urbino — UNESCO Heritage
Cradle of the Italian Renaissance, birthplace of Raphael and capital of the Duchy of Federico da Montefeltro.
Pesaro — UNESCO City of Music
Birthplace of Gioachino Rossini, it hosts the famous Rossini Opera Festival.
Gradara — The Castle of Paolo and Francesca
Among the best preserved medieval castles in Italy, the scene of the tragic love sung by Dante.
Related stories
Entire Roman cities lie beneath the fields of the Marche
Sentinum, Suasa, Potentia, Urbs Salvia, Falerio: many major ancient settlements never became modern cities and now re-emerge as archaeological landscapes.
Part of Rome's history was decided on the Metauro
In 207 BC, Hasdrubal Barca's army was defeated in Le Marche: a decisive battle of the Second Punic War that changed the peninsula's destiny.
Ancient Pisaurum lives on beneath modern Pesaro
The Roman colony founded along the Adriatic left traces beneath the city centre: mosaics, houses and an urban history spanning more than two thousand years.
The Novilara stele tells of a battle 2,700 years ago
Ships, warriors and a scene carved into sandstone: near Pesaro, one of pre-Roman Italy’s most enigmatic images came to light.
Fano, 2026: the basilica described by Vitruvius is found
From the search for a lost building to the official January 2026 announcement: the Piazza Andrea Costa discovery changes the story of Roman Fano.