Castelfidardo – home of the accordion
Castelfidardo in the Italian Marche region, just a few kilometres from the Adriatic, has been the centre of accordion making for more than 150 years. It is also where the instruments of Bugari Armando.
The history of the town
Castelfidardo was settled by an Italian people known as the Piceni before the Romans took the town in the 3rd century. After the barbarian invasions of the 11th century, the inhabitants decided to build a castle, which was given a succession of different names – the best known being “De Castro Ricardo”. During the medieval conflicts between the Guelphs and the Ghibellines, the town was captured and besieged by the Guelphs. After several great Italian families had held Castelfidardo, the Church took control once more.
In 1513 and 1517 Castelfidardo was attacked by the troops of Paolo Vitelli and Francesco Maria della Rovere. In 1550 the town’s independence was finally declared, and after countless occupations and lean years Castelfidardo was able to grow economically. In the years that followed it became a leader in the textile industry.
The 17th century, however, brought the next period of political and economic upheaval. During this time the administration of the “Santa Chiesa” gained more and more control over Castelfidardo and ruled the entire agricultural economy. At the same time the population grew rapidly – and the town rose to the occasion, quickly putting up new houses for its future residents.
The 18th century finally marked the beginning of the modern era. The economy flourished thanks to strong agriculture. Religion had always played an important role in Castelfidardo, but in this period it gained further weight through the Pope.
In the middle of the 19th century accordion production began and economic growth rose markedly. From then on the focus shifted from agriculture to industry.
The population kept growing, and in 1988 Castelfidardo was officially recognised as a city with 19,000 inhabitants. Today it is home to a number of well-known companies in electronics, design and, of course, musical instruments.
The accordion museum
The Museo Internazionale della Fisarmonica in the heart of Castelfidardo shows several hundred instruments from all over the world – from the first accordions of the 19th century to the modern bayan. A must for accordion lovers, and a good reason to combine a visit to Bugari with a trip into town.
