What to see in Pesaro: The Naumachia Stele and the World Map

Archaeological Finds, Books, Archive Funds, Photographs, Coins. Located in the heart of the historic center, they offer a fascinating journey through a thousand years of local history, from the Picene period to the Roman imperial age, with special attention to eighteenth-century collecting.

The Oliverian Archaeological Museum and the Oliverian Library of Pesaro are two important cultural institutions that share a common history, born thanks to the testamentary bequest of Annibale degli Abbati Olivieri in 1756.

The visit at the Oliveriani Museums in Pesaro also includes a visit to the Oliveriana Library, which is located in the same complex, Palazzo Almerici, a 17th-century building in the heart of the historic center. Both institutions are managed by the Fondazione Ente Olivieri.

The Archaeological Museum is located on the ground floor and houses a wide range of Archaeological finds, including those from the Novilara necropolis, one of the most important of the Iron Age, and a rich collection of Epigraphs, Bronzes, Coins, Vases and Oil Lamps

The Library is located on the upper floors and contains a precious collection of Manuscripts, Ancient Books and Historical Documents and offers loan and consultation services.

– Oliveriano Archaeological Museum
It stands out for its exhibition divided into four thematic sections, which tell the story of the Pesaro area from the Iron Age to the late Roman imperial era.

Among the highlights are the finds from the Picena Necropolis of Novilara, the famous Stele of the Naval Battle, the suggestive Lucus Pisaurensis (an ancient Roman sacred forest) and a rich collection of votive objects, epigraphs and bronzes.

Stele of the Naval Battle (Stele della Naumachia)
Decorated with a naval battle scene, it is the symbolic piece of the museum. Discovered in 1866 on the hill of San Nicola in Valmanente, it is one of the most important documents of Picene art and culture.

Finds from the Picene Necropolis of Novilara
Numerous objects from one of the most important necropolises of the Iron Age in the Marche. Among these, funerary objects, weapons, ornaments and imported objects that testify to the commercial and cultural relations of the Picenes between the 8th and 7th centuries BC.

Cippi and Altars of the Lucus Pisaurensis
Finds from the Roman sacred wood discovered by Annibale Olivieri near Santa Veneranda. Among the objects, altars, votive stones and numerous votive offerings stand out, including anatomical figures such as uteruses, linked to fertility cults.

Finds from Roman Pesaro
Sarcophagi, Urns, fragments linked to the liturgy of burials, votive bronzes depicting deities and warriors, lamps and painted vases.

Eighteenth-century collections of Passeri and Olivieri
The last section displays objects collected by the two scholars, including Ivories, Bronzes, Gems, Cameos, Coins, Medals and Plaques, offering an example of an eighteenth-century “wunderkammer” (chamber of wonders).

Boskovich Anemoscope
A rare stone disk from the 2nd century AD that represents the Wind Rose and the Constellations, used to detect the direction of the wind and observe the stars, very dear to Annibale Olivieri

The museum itinerary was designed to offer an immersive experience that is also accessible to people with disabilities.

– Oliveriana Library
A point of reference for scholars, history enthusiasts, bibliophiles and the curious, thanks to a unique heritage that ranges from Medieval Manuscripts to Historical Maps, from Author’s Drawings to Book and Documentary Collectibles.

Manuscript Collection
Over 2,000 medieval manuscripts, approximately 400 incunabula and numerous Cinquecentine, including rare editions such as the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili printed by Aldo Manuzio in 1499 and the Cinquecentina dell’Orlando Furioso from 1556.

Pesaro World Map
Also known as the Oliveriana World Map (n.1940), one of the most precious documents preserved in the Oliveriana Library, is a large Nautical Chart, datable between 1508 and 1510: it is considered one of the most important cartographic documents in the world for its antiquity, richness of details and dimensions.
It is the third card in chronological order that illustrates, even if partially, the New World, after those of Juan de la Cosa from 1500 and Alberto Cantino from 1502

Author’s Drawings
The jewel in the crown of the rich Antaldi collection is the drawing by Raffaello Sanzio, depicting a headless figure on the recto and a naked male figure on the verso: it is the only autograph by Raphael that remains in the collection, which contained numerous others.

Historical and frescoed rooms
In addition to its book and documentary heritage, the Oliveriana Library is famous for its historical rooms, such as the Sala dello Zodiaco with frescoes by Carlo Paolucci, and the Reading rooms dedicated to illustrious local personalities.