The centerpiece of the city of Fermo is the Piazza del Popolo, with its porticoes always bustling with people. The square is dominated by the Palazzo Comunale, the Palazzo degli Studi (which are connected by a loggia) and the ancient Palazzo Apostolico. The double staircase outside the Town Hall is very beautiful and scenic, and the entrance to the palace is remarkable with its portico. Outside is the imposing statue of Pope Sixtus V, made by Sansovino, who was a native of nearby Grottammare and a local bishop.Inside the Palazzo degli Studi, built in elegant Baroque forms in the 16th and 17th centuries, many rooms can be visited, including the Pinacoteca Civica, which houses Rubens’ masterpiece, the "Nativity" painted in 1608.The nearby Archbishop’s Palace offers a rich array of paintings to admire, while the Loggia of San Rocco is a pleasant sight consisting of nine arches supported by slender columns (1528), along with the Renaissance portal.
