FLORENCE, ITALY – July
6th-7th-8th and 13th-14th-15th 2012
The XXII edition of the Medieval Festival returns to illuminate the historical centre of Monteriggioni, a splendid village north of the city of Siena, crossed by the Via Francigena and internationally famous for being quoted by Dante, who praises the ring of walls and precious crown of towers.
The first two weekends in July – from 6 to 8 and from 13 to 15 July – dozens of events will warm the heart of the fortified town, with live performances, music, dance and theatre and antique flavours. Historical reconstructions with the characters of the Medieval Bestiary.
The Middle Ages and the flavours of excellent Tuscan cuisine will occupy the centre of the big “theme park”, inspired by the antique chronicles of the medieval and Renaissance worlds, organised once again this year by the Municipality of Monteriggioni, through its very own company Monteriggioni A.D. 1213 and in collaboration with the medieval culture association Agresto.
Altogether there will be one hundred performances which, every day, from 5.00 p.m. until midnight, will enrich the cultural offering of this festival, born in 1991 to narrate – through a series of fairy tale, literary and film references – the vicissitudes, sentiments and atmospheres of the Middle Ages. Monteriggioni Castle will be crossed by a series of paths which, starting from the Main Square, will span out through the village streets for a show in which the protagonists will be duellers, knights, drummers, acrobats and minstrels. A unique trip back in time.
The mayor of the Municipality of Monteriggioni, Bruno Valentini, tells us “Every year, we offer our guests the opportunity to experience a unique trip back in time, immersed in the re-enactment of true historical facts, ranging from the foundation of the Abbey “Abbazia dell’Isola” in the year 1000 to the fall of the Castle which preceded the demise of the Republic of Siena.
The theme chosen for the 2012 edition, “Inferno and Paradise”, is not merely a reference to the Divine Comedy, but a suggestion to inspire universal issues, from the concept of what comes after death and the fear of the future in the Middle Ages to the search for indulgence, universal and contemporary sentiments. I advise both those who’ve never visited us before and those who come back every year to enjoy the atmospheres recreated so skilfully in the Castle not to miss out on this fantastic journey into the Middle Ages”.
Medieval flavours, because the Festival also presents excellent cuisine. The Medieval Festival of Monteriggioni offers its guests good food, thanks to the collaboration with the local associations and businesses. The restaurants will be serving up the flavours and aromas of the Middle Ages on their tables at affordable prices.
There will be medieval banquets and open-air taverns, where spiced wine and antique recipes will make the journey among the flavours of the past even more authentic. Especially for the occasion, a medieval market will be set up inside the Castle walls, selling local craftwork and artisan products: dressed in chainmail, helmets, gauntlets and swords, exhibiters from all over Tuscany will guide participants, young and old, in a never-ending flow of performances and artistic incursions rich in surprises. Inside the village, like every year, only medieval currency will be in circulation, minted especially in three units, allowing the public to exchange their modern currency and use the medieval coins to buy food, drinks and souvenirs. Child-sized.
The Medieval Festival will also have a section dedicated specifically to children, with educational workshops and games, travelling theatre shows and jugglery corners. There will be puppet shows too and the theatrical re-enactment of battles, staged by companies from all over Italy and also elsewhere in Europe, for a journey in time, amidst dreams and fantasy, music and stories. Middle Ages 2.0: an event to experience in person, but also to share on the web. The 2012 edition will be enhanced by real time updates of the Facebook page and the website, which will inform the public on the various initiatives taking place and the times of performances, providing prompt information and increasing the spirit of the festival with videos and pictures “captured” in the streets and squares of the fortified village.
The Festival’s fan page will be the open square, where anyone can browse around and discover unprecedented shows, joining the on-line community to swap pieces of advice, comment the posts and share photos and videos. Also on-line, at www.monteriggionimedievale.it there are photo galleries from previous editions and the updated programme with the historical reconstructions and attractions of the 2012 edition of the Festival.
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