Castel Clementino Knights Tournament

A tradition that stops time

Every August, the village of Servigliano, in the province of Fermo, transforms into a medieval castle for the Castel Clementino Knights Tournament. The event has its roots in 1450, when the Abbot of Farfa ceded the area of San Gualtiero to the castle of Servigliano: this abbatial gift has been commemorated without interruption since 1969, making the Tournament one of the longest-running and most deeply rooted historical re-enactments in the Marche region.

The five districts in challenge

The heart of the festival is the fierce but chivalrous rivalry between the five city districts: Porta Navarra, Porta Marina, San Marco, Paese Vecchio, and Porta Santo Spirito. In the week leading up to the event, each district livens up its taverns, decorates the streets with banners and flags, and prepares its horses, in an atmosphere of popular participation reminiscent of stadium cheers.

The Ring Joust

The most anticipated moment is the Ring Joust, a true test of equestrian skill: five knights, one from each district, galloping on an eight-shaped track about 880 meters long, must spear twelve rings of decreasing size, from 8 down to 4.5 centimeters in diameter. Servigliano's unique feature is the competition held in four consecutive rounds, a unique case among Italian jousts, placing it alongside prestigious competitions like those in Foligno and Ascoli Piceno. Since 1990, the race has taken place in a modern equestrian facility.

The historical pageant

Alongside the sporting competition, the historical re-enactment stages over three hundred pre-Renaissance costumes resulting from extensive philological research. The pageant, courtly scenes, and performances reconstruct the 15th-century Marche setting, offering residents and visitors an authentic journey back in time in the village of Servigliano.

A local event

Organized by the Castel Clementino Knights Tournament Authority with the support of the Municipality of Servigliano, the Tournament attracts thousands of spectators each year, confirming its status as one of the top summer events in the Marche region and the Fermo hinterland.