This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)

The “Infiorate” festival takes place in Spello every year. The tradition dates back to the early 1900s, thanks to a woman who, around 1930, drew a floral figure on the street using brooms and fennels. Similar artistic compositions soon became popular all over the area.
On the day of Corpus Domini (the ninth Sunday after Easter), the “infioratori” artists work all night to create floral carpets and paintings along the path of the next day’s religious procession. A team of experts will then acknowledged and reward the best works of art according to the artists’ skill, precision and creativity.

Inside Palazzo Cruciani, in Piazza della Repubblica, there is the “Museum of Infiorate”, opened in 2004, which celebrated this old craftsmanship tradition. The actual exhibition includes photos and sketches, covering the very history of this peculiar piece of local history and culture.

The “Infiorata” works of art must comply with the following rules: the materials used must be 100% natural – paint, enamel, glue and any other similar substance are not allowed. Each drawing cannot be less than 40 ft long and must be made at least 3.2 ft away from the curb, thus allowing safe passage for the visitors.

Furthermore, drawings can be traced on white paper only when it comes to the figurative parts, as long as they’re not coloured. Everything has to be completed by 9 am on Sunday and only works of a religious nature can compete and receive an award.

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)