The Chess Match in Marostica
In even-numbered years, the event that draws thousands of spectators to the Lower Castle Square in September
Where
The Chess Match
Every two years in September, Italy’s most spectacular chess match takes place in Marostica’s historic Piazza degli Scacchi. Living chess pieces move majestically across the squares of the chessboard in the square. Hundreds of participants bring the fortified village to life: richly dressed nobles and damsels, soldiers, heralds, flag-wavers, drummers, jesters, and commoners. The lighting effects, choreography, soundscapes, and fireworks are spectacular. The entire town is immersed in legend.
The Legend of the Chess Match
It was 1454 when two young nobles, Vieri da Vallonara and Rinaldo d’Angarino—madly in love with the castle lord’s beautiful daughter, Lionora—were ready to duel for her hand in marriage. But the castellan, determined to avoid unnecessary bloodshed, transforms the duel into a grand chess match in the castle square, featuring living pieces. The winner would marry Lionora; the loser, Oldrada, the castellan’s sister. And everyone wins!
The Story of The Chess Game
The manuscript recounting this story was discovered in 1923 but was lost in a fire in 1958. It was in 1923 that a young man from Marostica, Francesco Pozza (1903–1971), had the idea to stage *The Chess Game* with a group of friends. It was a huge success—so much so that even Gabriele d’Annunzio flew his plane over the legendary checkerboard-patterned square. Starting in 1954, the artist Mirko Vucetich (1898–1975) masterfully directed the production.
The Chessboard Square
The chessboard was created in 1954: 64 squares, each measuring 4 square meters, made of red marble and Biancone di Asiago marble. The square dates back to 1462: it is very spacious and elegant, designed for the market and for strolling. It is bordered on its long sides by ancient palaces and arcades and at both ends by Palazzo Doglione and the massive Lower Castle, which serves as the backdrop to the spectacle.
Enter the Map of Italy's Hidden Wonders and find treasures where you least expect it... Inspire, Recommend, Share...
The Map thanks:
Enter the Map of Italy's Hidden Wonders and find treasures where you least expect it... Inspire, Recommend, Share...
Where
