| Pesaro | |||
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| — Comune — | |||
| Città di Pesaro | |||
| Piazza del Popolo. | |||
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Pesaro
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| Coordinates: | |||
| Country | Italy | ||
| Region | Marche | ||
| Province | Pesaro e Urbino (PU) | ||
| Frazioni | Santa Veneranda | ||
| Government | |||
| • Mayor | Luca Ceriscioli | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 126 km2 (48.6 sq mi) | ||
| Elevation | 11 m (36 ft) | ||
| Population (28 February 2009) | |||
| • Total | 94,222 | ||
| • Density | 747.8/km2 (1,936.8/sq mi) | ||
| Demonym | Pesaresi | ||
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) | ||
| Postal code | 61100 | ||
| Dialing code | 0721 | ||
| Patron saint | St. Terence | ||
| Saint day | September 24 | ||
| Website | Official website | ||
Pesaro (Italian pronunciation: [ˈpeːzaro] ( listen), [ˈpeːsaro]) is a town and comune in the Italian region of the Marche, capital of the Pesaro e Urbino province, on the Adriatic. According to the 2007 census, its population was 92,206.
Fishery, furniture industry and tourism are the main strengths of the local economy.
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The city was founded as Pisaurum by the Romans in 184 BC as colony in the territory of the Picentes, the people who lived on the northeast coast during the Iron Age. A settlement of the latter tribe has been found at Novilara. The northern Picentes were invaded in the 4th century BC by the Gallic Senones, earlier by the Etruscans, and when the Romans reached the area the population was an ethnic mixture. Within it the Gauls at least were still distinct, as the Romans separated them out and expelled them from the country.
Under the Roman administration Pesaro, a hub across the Via Flaminia, became an important center of trading and craftmanship. After the fall of the Western Empire, Pesaro was occupied by the Ostrogoths, and destroyed by Vitigis (539) in the course of the Gothic War. Hastily rebuilt five years later after the Byzantine reconquets, it formed the so-called Pentapolis, part of the Exarchate of Ravenna. After the Lombard and Frank conquests of that city, Pesaro became part of the Papal States.
During Renaissance it was ruled by the Malatesta (1285–1445), Sforza (1445–1512) and Della Rovere (1513–1631). Under the latter family, who elected it as capital of their duchy, Pesaro lived its most flourishing age, with the construction of numerous public and private palaces, while a new line of walls (the Mura Roveresche) was erected.
On September 11, 1860 the Piedmontese troops entered the city, and Pesaro was subsequently annexed to the new Kingdom of Italy.
Pesaro currently has seven sister cities (also known as "twin towns"):