Corinaldo's medieval walls become backdrop for Christmas festival Gran Natale

The medieval hilltop town of Corinaldo in the Marche region of Italy is hosting the Gran Natale festival, a Christmas program of light installations, exhibitions, theater, and concerts running until January 6, 2026. The town, encircled by well-preserved 14th-century walls, transforms its historic center into a stage for a mechanical nativity scene by the Contrada di Santa Apollonia and luminous displays. Cultural events include prose and music performances at the Teatro Carlo Goldoni, children's workshops at the Biblioteca Comunale, the art exhibition "Mirabilia Marche" focusing on Claudio Ridolfi and 17th-century Marche painting, and a photography show marking the 40th edition of the "Mario Carafòli" competition exploring memory and local identity. Corinaldo's history dates to the early second millennium; it was destroyed in 1360 by papal forces under Galeotto Malatesta, rebuilt in 1367 with permission from Pope Urban V, and later fortified with walls possibly designed by Francesco di Giorgio Martini. The town resisted sieges by Braccio da Montone and Sante Garelli in the 15th century, and in 1517 withstood an assault by Francesco Maria Della Rovere, earning the title of City from Pope Leo X, confirmed in 1786 by Pius VI. Between the 17th and 18th centuries, Corinaldo saw the construction of noble palaces and churches, becoming a center for craftsmanship and architectural renewal.