With its many towers, this small town in the Marche region is known as "Little Siena" because of its harmonious mix of secular and religious buildings. The former Roman Asculum, a city of travertine stone, enjoyed periods of prosperity during the Middle Ages and Renaissance. It attracted many artists from other regions, among these the Venetian Carlo Crivelli (1430-94), influenced by Mantegna and Bellini, was the most prestigious; he, in turn, had a profound effect on local painters.