Italy is beautiful in every season. Even in winter, this boot-shaped peninsula has plenty to offer, especially when Christmas is around the corner. The anticipation of this holiday generates a magical atmosphere. The major cities and smaller towns gear up for December 25 in the grandest way: the streets are full of colourful decorations and lights, the squares come to life with market stalls and the centuries-old tradition of the presepe reawakens.
Christmas in Italy is primarily represented by the Nativity scene, a much-revered icon which offers visitors another dimension to their winter holidays. It is an opportunity to see artisans and volunteers from north to south working assiduously and passionately to create exquisite mangers, figures and settings, so lovingly crafted as to melt the hearts of even the least pious of us.
An imaginary line that joins the most awe-inspiring presepi in Italy becomes in itself a unique itinerary. This time-honoured ritual is so entrenched in the culture that it survives the passing of time.
The first port of call in this journey has to be Greccio, a small town in the region of Lazio. It was here in 1223 that the first live manger scene was set up. It is believed that Saint Francis of Assisi, upon his return from a visit to Palestine, had the idea of replicating Bethlehem’s Nativity scene with real people and animals.
Motivated by this project and with the aid and support of local nobleman Giovanni Velita, the friar of Assisi was able to commemorate the birth of Jesus; in so doing, he gave birth to the first Nativity scene in history. Since then, every year, as if by magic, this little village clinging to a spur of rock, is transformed into Bethlehem, making it arguably the most authentic Christmas experience in the world.
Not too far from the places where Saint Francis used to preach, is another outdoor spectacle on our ‘Christmas crib route’. Backdrop to this unique representation is the town of Corchiano, which lies about 65 km from Rome.
This particular re-enactment of the Nativity scene is so theatrical that the whole of the Lazio region eagerly awaits its exhibition year after year. The magnificent setting, the period costumes and realistic props, contribute to the success and popularity of this event. The main drawcard, is however, the location.
This live Nativity scene has a very dramatic stage: the Natural Monument of the Forre (ravines), situated on the Rio Fratta, an affluent of the Tiber; an environment of natural beauty with tangible traces of the past. As we cross the precipitous ravines, encased by rock walls and eroded by water courses commonly found in this area, and head along intriguing Etruscan pathways carved in tuff stone, we finally come to a vast plateau set in such majestic scenery that the Nativity comes to life in spellbinding realism.
We leave Lazio, and although the region can claim rightful ownership of this art, it hasn’t stopped other regions from adopting and adapting it to suit their environment.
Flying north, through the Friulian Dolomites, it is certainly worth stopping at Poffabro, an enchanting village in the heart of the Carnic Pre-Alps, home to an open-air museum of Nativity cribs like no other. As Christmas approaches, hundreds of crèches - traditional or unconventional - populate windowsills, ledges, balconies and courtyards of the distinctive sandstone and wooden houses. Porcelain, plaster and wooden statuettes, some made from glass or fabric, others even sculpted from soap or chocolate, appear from every nook and cranny replicating the life and activities of the residents of this tiny mountain town. And when the sun descends, and the light of day makes way for the glow of candles, Poffabro morphs into an en-plein-air Nativity scene, mesmerising its countless visitors.
While the most characteristic aspect of crib-making in Poffabro is the variety of materials used, in the not-so-distant Val Gardena, wood is the hero. In Santa Cristina di Val Gardena, nestled in the South Tyrol region, for the last 26 years, 18 sculptors have got together every Christmas to work on the world’s biggest crib, hand-carved entirely out of wood. The first of the larger-than-life-size figures – a Madonna and Child – was sculpted in 1989. Since then, every year during Advent, the wood-carvers of Val Gardena join forces to produce a new figure to add to the manger; at the same time, consolidating a tradition which is being passed from one generation to another.
As we say goodbye to the Carnic Alps and cross the Ligurian Apennines, we encounter another remarkable presepe - one of rare visual impact. It is in the Cinque Terre territory and is guaranteed to take our breath away. During the Christmas season, the stunning pastel-hued village of Manarola sparkles with its illuminated Nativity scene. As it is the only one of its kind in the world, it naturally features in the Guinness Book of Records.
In the tiny seaport on the eastern Ligurian Riviera, every year since 1976, artist and retired railway worker, Mario Andreoli, returns to his project using waste and recyclable materials for the figures that represent the shepherds and other characters in the Bible story. Set in the Tre Croci hills above Manarola, the scene bursts into life when twilight falls. The fruit of fifty years’ meticulous labour and dedication of the retiree from La Spezia, Andreoli’s presepe has become ecologically sustainable: it is lit thanks to the surplus energy guaranteed by the installation of a photovoltaic system which powers the entire town during the day.
Manarola’s Nativity setting may be unparalleled in terms of size and originality, but there are other presepi around Italy which are testament to an art that combines creativity and ingenuity, virtues which often challenge the limits set by nature. One excellent example of how tradition, imagination and daring coalesce to uphold a custom even in the most unaccommodating of conditions, is the underwater Nativity of Laveno Mombello on Lake Maggiore.
Since 1979, in the week before Christmas, organisers submerge 42 statues on five steel platforms weighing a total of 18 tonnes; all of this, two metres below the surface of the water. Carved by maestro Tancredi da Brendale, the statues are made of white Vicenza stone and not only represent the Holy Family and other key figures, but also a host of lesser-known roles, like the wayfarer contemplating the horizon, a country woman holding chickens and baskets, a shepherd with lambs around his neck.
On Christmas Eve night, Baby Jesus is carried in a procession and after being blessed, He is laid by scuba divers in an illuminated shell-shaped crib. During daytime, the sculptures are barely visible in the water, but at night they appear to float as the scene comes alive thanks to potent underwater beams which produce a magnificent show of lights and waterworks.
A completely different type of exhibition can be admired in Emilia Romagna. During winter, this coastal region offers up its beaches to this age-old art form. Here, the Nativity scene is made out of sand, another perfect example of how a long-standing tradition can be readapted to suit the natural environment without losing its potential to fascinate. The annual construction of these sandy life-size cribs takes place in the famous sites of the Adriatic Riviera. The most popular locations where sand is the main component of these artistic creations are Rimini, Torre Pedrera, Bellaria-Igea Marina and Marina di Ravenna. Not to be missed is the presepe of Marineria di Cesenatico, hailed as “the only floating Nativity scene in the world”. The boats of the town’s Marine Museum become the stage for the so-called Presepe della Marineria, which features 50 life-size characters inspired by the lives of ordinary people living in a fishing village.
If we consider raw materials, the counterpart of the ‘sand crib’ has to be the ‘ice crèche’ of Massa Martana, near Perugia: 16 square metres in area with life-size statues which have included replicas of popes John XXIII and John Paul II. As well as its icy crystal-like Nativity scene, this ancient hamlet perched on a rock at the foot of the Martani mountains, is also renowned for the national exhibition of cribs: “Presepi d’Italia”. Every year, this important event showcases works from all over Italy: anything from classic manger scenes to masterpieces made by skilful ceramics designers and sculptors, some even in coral or cameos of the Torre del Greco style.
Having discovered the intricate carvings of the artisans of Torre del Greco, near Naples, and appreciated their meticulously engraved red coral Nativity scenes, it is worth staying in the area to appreciate just how broad this crib culture is in the region of Campania.
Here the word presepe rhymes with Via San Gregorio Armeno, the picturesque street where we can admire the best of crib craftsmanship. This street has gained world-wide recognition for its numerous workshops dedicated to a Neapolitan tradition which established itself in the 1700s and has never faltered since.
The stalls display terracotta crib figurines, portraying biblical or imaginary figures. They attract visitors throughout the whole year, but it is when ‘Christmas is nigh’, that this charming street draws the greatest crowds.
So, between November and December, inquisitive tourists and Neapolitan families throng the workshops, and, whether consciously or not, their patronage guarantees the survival of this art, of which Goethe himself was profoundly impressed.
While the popularity of the Neapolitan Nativity scenes has never waned, other similar displays have only recently started to gain momentum. One instance is in Puglia, where the live Nativity scenes offer an extensive itinerary which stretches across the entire region.
Often identified as the ideal summer holiday destination, Puglia, in fact, boasts different types of presepi - all unmissable. Enthusiastic tourists and committed travellers can experience the culture and deep-rooted traditions of the local inhabitants along with the sheer pleasure of the visit.
First among these is the “Living Nativity of Alberobello”, near Bari, where the characteristic trulli (conical dwellings) become the perfect backdrop for the re-enactment of the significant religious event.
Every year, in the Monti area and Aia Piccola (the oldest part of the village), the uninhabited casedde (houses) are reopened and transformed into workshops for tinkers, weavers, blacksmiths, fishmongers and other forgotten trades. Over 200 volunteer background actors intermingle with the spectators along the alleyways illuminated by flaming torches and oil lamps in an enthralling reproduction of the Christmas Story.
Not far from Alberobello but no less captivating, are the live Nativity scenes at Polignano a Mare on the Adriatic coast, near Bari, and in Tricase, further south, near Lecce. In the first case the presepe is set up inside the extraordinary underground sea caves; in the latter, on nearby Monte Orco hill, in a breathtaking location with extensive views of the surrounding terrain, embracing towns and even the cape of Santa Maria di Leuca, the lowest point of the ‘heel’ of the Italian peninsula.
Tricase’s Nativity is undoubtedly grand. It covers an area of two kilometres and comprises around 50 scenes in which the locals take part. This environment provides an uncannily realistic setting, very reminiscent of ancient Rome.
To see the largest live Nativity in the world, we need to leave Puglia, and head towards Matera and its ancient cave dwellings known as “Sassi”. It is here, in the third oldest town in the world (predated by Aleppo and Jericho), that another Guinness Book record breaker, is held. Over 1000 people participate in the five-kilometre itinerary which winds through the streets and the squares linking the two major areas of the city: Sasso Caveoso and Sasso Barisano. This event sees a growing number of visitors each year, all ready to be catapulted back to the Galilee of 2000 years ago.
A completely different scenario exists in Sicily, a region which, even during the Christmas period, never ceases to amaze. On this fascinating journey, it is imperative to find time for a visit to Caltagirone, leading Sicilian manufacturer of ceramics and “the city of a hundred cribs”.
In actual fact, the number of cribs in this Unesco World Heritage Site, by far exceeds one hundred. The reason being, that every year, artists, performers, local people, families and communities strive to make their manger scenes different and more personalised, whether in homes, bakeries, public gardens or the city’s baroque churches.
Since we’re here, it would be worthwhile visiting Erice, one of the prettiest locations in all of Italy - a place where religion, history and folklore intertwine. Amid the laneways, courtyards, churches and shops of this medieval town perched 750 metres above sea level overlooking the city of Trapani, we discover the artistic aspects of the 18 presepi, all in varying styles and materials, all assembled with love and the utmost care by the townsfolk and local storekeepers.
Of particular value is the mechanical “Monumental Crib of Peace” made by Jaemy Callari. Faithful reproduction of a 16th century Sicilian Nativity scene, this installation comprises over 130 figurines handmade in wax and terracotta, 70 moving parts and authentic representations of ancient crafts, local agricultural cycles and Erice’s typical cobblestones.
From the island of Sicily to the island of Sardinia, this journey in search of the most spectacular Nativity scenes in Italy is coming to an end. Sardinia, land of monuments and tower-fortresses called “nuraghi” - remarkable legacies of the Stone-Age - is considered primarily a summer destination, but has also much to offer at Christmas time. As well as the quaint market stalls in Quartu Sant’Elena, near the island’s capital, Cagliari, we mustn’t miss the traditional bread crib of Olmedo, located 15 minutes from Sassari. This manger scene is prepared entirely by the deft and patient hands of the village’s female bakers; a unique opportunity to marvel at the superb creations fashioned from bread dough, of which some are portrayed in the national costume.
Take a chance to discover another side of Christmas - one to keep in our hearts the whole year long...
