The Pugnaloni parade in Acquapendente

Acquapendente is a little town in the province of Viterbo, in Lazio, not so far from Rome.

It’s also called the European Jerusalem because for its Duomo ( in italian Duomo di Acquapendente, Basilica Cattedrale di San Sepolcro) a Roman Catholic cathedral dedicated to the Holy Sepuchre.

The crypt  contains a blood-stained stone said to come from the Holy Sepuchre , whence the dedication.

Basilica del Santo Sepolcro - Photo by http discoverytuscia.blogspot.it

During the Middle Ages the church was very popular as a destination for pilgrims and cripples seeking miraculous cures. It was made a cathedral in 1649 as the seat of the Bishop of Acquapendente

The town was settled by etruscan and later by romans.

The Via Francigena ( "the road that comes from France" ) cross the city, this is an ancient road and pilgrim route from Canterbury Cathedral to Vatican in Rome, the Holy See.

Today again pilgrims and tourist  follow this path and travel on foot, on horseback or by bicycle on the Via Francigena, there a lot of structures for accomodation along this route.

By the way this post in not dedicated to the town but to an ancient tradition, The Pugnaloni, this festival is an old folk celebration

The feast of pugnaloni is a festival that is celebrated in Acquapendente (VT), the third Sunday of May. It is one of the oldest folk celebrations of Tuscia, and was originally also called Festa di Mezzo Maggio ( feast in the middle of May).

Today it is organized and promoted by the Associazione Pro Loco di Acquapendente, in collaboration with the municipal authority. The festivla is dedicated to the Madonna del Fiore.

The origin of the festival dates back to 1166 d the dominion of Federico Barbarossa, two peasants would have witnessed a miracle, the blossoming of a dry cherry tree: they went to report the miracle to the other villagers, who considered the event a good omen and rose up, armed with prods and work tools, hunting the sovereign and destroying the castle. The party therefore celebrates the reconquered freedom

During this celebration there are differents events, a fair and the “Pugnaloni” parade

Video by Tusciaweb

The Pugnaloni are mosaics made with flowers and leaves, composed on wooden panels of 2.6 by 3.6 meters. The leaves are cut to the art and glued on the drawn panel, in order to color the work; on them are then applied the flowers, arranged the night before the show.

Rugarella - 2018 Winner

Acquaviva

The tradition of pugnaloni derives from the ancient custom with which the peasants celebrated the feast, parading behind the statue of the Madonna with stings decorated with flowers to commemorate the arms of the battle against the sovereign and the cherry blossoms.

These Pugnaloni are made by differents groups, actually these are still active :

1. Acquaviva
2. Barbarossa
3. Corniolo
4. Corte Vecchia
5. Costa San Pietro
6. Porta della Ripa
7. Porta Romana
8. Rugarella - 2018 winner
9. Sant'Anna
10. Santo Sepolcro
11. Torre G. de Jacopo
12. Torre San Marco
13. Via del Carmine
14. Prima Equipe Via del Fiore
15. Via Francigena

          

Barbarossa

Costa San Pietro

Food typical products are Chestnuts from the Cimini Mountains,Caciotta with hazelnuts, Pecorino cheese,Hazelnuts, hazelnuts cream,lentils, potatoes, beans, chickpeas, lake fish, and much more....

Wines Aleatico di Gradoli, Est Est Est from Montefiascone, 

Beers Birrificio Free Lions , Birra Bai , Terre di Faul and much more

You can reach Acquapendente

• by car
• S.S 2 Cassia  from Nort and South
• A1 Higway from Rome - exit Orte
• A1 Higway from Florence - exit Chiusi 
• by Bus
• Cotral , local buses