To the east Ascoli Piceno faces the Adriatic Sea, to the north it borders on the province of Ferma, to the north-west with Abruzzo (province of Teramo) and Lazio (province of Rieti) and to the south west with Umbria (province of Perugia). In 2004 the province of Fermo was founded, including 40 boroughs previously belonging to the province of Ascoli Piceno. The Baptistry and Cathedral of Saint John of Ascoli Piceno are regarded as national monuments of Italy.