The relaunch of the archaeological area of La Cuma in the Marche region this summer will include guided tours, events, shows, family workshops and educational activities.
A small village with an ancient Roman site
La Cuma, in the village of Monte Rinaldo in the Marche region is a unique Roman sanctuary dating back to the 2nd-1st century B.C. about 30 kilometres from Ascoli Piceno and 25 from Fermo. The site has just introduced new opening hours thanks to the collaboration of Maggioli Cultura e Turismo, on the initiative of the municipality of Monte Rinaldo. The Roman site can now be visited, during the months of July, August and September on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 4pm to 8pm, and also on 15 August.
Events for all ages and tastes this summer
To visit La Cuma, this jewel set in the heart of the Marche region, is to take a journey back in time of more than 2000 years that captivates all visitors, adults and children alike. The Maggioli Culture and Tourism project aims to bring the archaeological area to life with a summer calendar of guided tours, performances and cultural events designed for all ages and tastes, from theatre to contemporary music.
The site has an ancient temple, shrine and portico
The area takes its name from the Cuma district of the small village of Monte Rinaldo, which has just 300 inhabitants. The first remains of the sanctuary surfaced by chance in 1957 when the farmer who owned the land where the area now stands came across the first column blocks. It consists of three separate buildings, arranged on a terrace: a central temple dedicated to Jupiter, a shrine dedicated to Hercules and a monumental double-columned portico, in line with the Hellenistic architecture that was spreading throughout the Mediterranean at the time. During the excavations many votive objects were found including statuettes, hands, feet and other objects.
“La Cuma is a cultural attraction in a regional context”
“The extension of the opening hours and the summer events are an important sign of the role played by the La Cuma archaeological area as a cultural attraction in a regional context,” said ABAP superintendent for the provinces of Ascoli Piceno, Fermo and Macerata Giovanni Issini. The Mayor of Monte Rinaldo, Gianmario Borroni added that they also aim to give further impetus to the site, “which since 2016 has been involved in shared projects with the Superintendency, the University of Bologna and the British School in Rome.” 
A festival, stage shows and other events
Mauro Villa, director of Maggioli Culture and Tourism said the management and cultural production model promoted by Maggioli at Monte Rinaldo will also activate a communications and promotion system in which “visitors will be protagonists, while the rich cultural programme will bring the archaeological area alive both during the day and in the evening.” The first special events scheduled are the "Artemis Festival" on 28 July, "Cuma Under the Stars" on 2 August, and the theatrical performance "Ithaca per Sempre" to be staged on 4 August, while further events are being defined. For information and bookings: www.cumarcheologia.it
