Undoubtedly the most famous of the rooms in Fermo’s historical palaces, the Sala del Mappamondo (or Globe Room) was named in 1713 when a wood and real Fabriano paper globe by geographer Silvestro Amanzio Maroncelli was housed here. This space had been added to the building in 1688 by architect Adamo Sacripante, financed by Fermo’s Cardinal Decio Azzolino to house the first nucleus of Fermo’s public library, the fruit of private donations. The room was later connected to nearby Palazzo degli Studi by a raised loggia. Completely furnished with walnut shelving, the room houses part of the ancient Civic Library collection. This was primarily donated by Fermo-born Romolo Spezioli, who was personal physician to Queen Christina of Sweden.
Its structure is entirely clad in wood, with walnut shelving and Roman letters identifying the various shelves, and very old armchairs that make the room truly fascinating: it is a place with ancient charm, in which the silence that usually reigns in libraries takes on an even more special value as soon as visitors first enter this precious treasure trove and come into contact with the inestimable wealth of knowledge and learning it safeguards.
The gaze is drawn upwards, towards the magnificent coffered pine ceiling carved in 1688, and then along the walnut shelves, divided by a refined gallery, where it is possible to imagine all the distinguished scholars who have passed through its doors.
Before adopting the name by which it is universally recognised, it was known as Sala delle Commedie or Drama Room, because it was the first public space dedicated to theatrical activity. In fact, it was used for this purpose until 1687, when the Council of Cernita decided to change its destination so that it could house the enormous book collection owned by the nobleman Paolo Ruffo. In fact, he had donated his entire collection in order to “erect a library for the public use of the city”.
From then on, performances were moved to what was known as the Gran Sala del Suffitto, now the Portraits Room that, as sources report, was used from 1690 on for performances and was also called Fermo Theatre or Theatre Hall.