Contesa del Pozzo della Polenta

A festival that tells the story of 1517

The Contesa del Pozzo della Polenta is the oldest historical reenactment in the province of Ancona and one of the identity events of the Municipality of Corinaldo, a walled jewel of the Marche region included among the Most Beautiful Villages in Italy. The event, founded in the late seventies and organised by the Associazione Pozzo della Polenta, brings the village back to the Renaissance era every summer, when in 1517 Corinaldo resisted the siege of the troops of Francesco Maria I della Rovere, Duke of Urbino.

The legend of the well and the "polentari"

The name of the festival comes from one of the most beloved legends of the town. On the steps of the Piaggia, Corinaldo's symbolic alleyway, lies the Pozzo della Polenta (Polenta Well), built in the mid-fifteenth century. Tradition has it that a peasant, while climbing the steep steps, dropped a sack of cornmeal into the well: the inhabitants, incredulous but hungry, began to stir the water as if it were a large polenta. From that episode, the nickname "polentari" was born, by which the people of Corinaldo are still affectionately called today.

The competing districts

The Contesa pits the four historic districts of the village—San Pietro, Sant'Agostino, Santa Maria del Mercato, and San Giovanni—against each other in tests of skill and the famous Palio degli Arcieri, the archery competition that determines the winning district. Alongside the competition, there is a grand historical parade with over eighty figures in Renaissance costume, performances by flag-wavers and drummers, and demonstrations by the historical group Combusta Revixi.

What to experience during the weekend

• The historical parade in period costume through the streets of the walled centre
• The Palio degli Arcieri and the tug-of-war challenge between districts
• The military encampment, the archery range, and the artisans' workshops in action
• Evening shows of theatre, circus arts, fire, and flaming arrows
• The taverns with Renaissance-inspired menus and themed dinners in the historic centre
• Creative spaces for children and families (Ludus)

Why it's worth the trip

The Contesa del Pozzo della Polenta is much more than a village festival: it is a choral story that intertwines historical memory, gastronomy, and community spirit, set in one of the best-preserved villages in the Marche. Walking in the evening through the illuminated walls of Corinaldo, with the lit taverns and the costumed figures, is an experience that takes you back five centuries into the heart of the province of Ancona.