Disfida dei Trombonieri - The White Parchment
Cava de' Tirreni relives 1460 with a historical pageant and an eight-district arquebus shooting competition
About Disfida dei Trombonieri
A city returning to 1460
The Disfida dei Trombonieri - The White Parchment is the signature event of Cava de' Tirreni, in the province of Salerno, Campania. Established in 1974, the re-enactment commemorates a specific episode in local history: the aid provided by the people of Cava to King Ferrante I of Aragon during the Battle of Sarno in 1460, and the subsequent privilege of the White Parchment, a document left blank and sealed by the sovereign so that the people of Cava could write their own desired reward. From this gesture also stems the title of Città Fedelissima (Most Faithful City), which still gives its name to one of the trophies up for grabs.
The historical pageant: over a thousand participants
The first act of the Disfida is the grand historical pageant, which travels through the center of Cava de' Tirreni on Saturday evening. More than a thousand participants march in 15th-century attire: trombonieri (musketeers) with their firearms, arquebusiers, ladies and knights, flag-wavers, musicians, drummers, and mounted groups. The procession concludes with the drawing of the shooting order, a tense moment held in front of the Cathedral, in the presence of the mayor, the archbishop, and the captains of the eight districts.
The competition: the eight districts in the field
On Sunday evening, the Simonetta Lamberti municipal stadium transforms into a ritual battlefield. The city's eight historical districts face off, each fielding dozens of arquebusiers who must fire in unison: the winner is the one who produces the most compact, sharp, and perfectly synchronized shot. The competing districts are:
- Santissimo Sacramento
- Filangieri
- Borgo Scacciaventi-Croce
- Monte Castello
- Santa Maria del Rovo
- Sant'Anna
- Sant'Anna all'Oliveto
- Senatore
The winning district receives the Victory Drape, a banner created each year by a different artist; a second award, the Città Fedelissima Trophy, honors the best overall choreographic performance and is assigned in a trial held a few weeks earlier.
An unforgettable atmosphere
First-time spectators are struck by the noise: the arquebus volley is a roar that echoes through the Lattari Mountains basin, followed by a cloud of white smoke enveloping the field. Around the arena, stands packed with thousands of people cheer for their district as they would for a sports team, in a blend of local belonging, historical memory, and civic pride. It is not a mere show for tourists: it is a festival that the locals prepare for months.
Cava de' Tirreni, between the Coast and the Lattari Mountains
The Municipality of Cava de' Tirreni is located a few kilometers from Salerno, behind the Amalfi Coast, and is famous for its porticos in the Borgo Scacciaventi and for the thousand-year-old Benedictine Abbey of the Most Holy Trinity. The city is considered one of the Italian capitals of historical folklore, and the Disfida is its ultimate expression: a tradition that has built a true school of flag-wavers and historical groups over time, hosted and federated by the ATSC.
Who organizes it
The event is managed by the ATSC - Association of Trombonieri, Flag-wavers, and Knights of Cava de' Tirreni, which brings together the eight groups of trombonieri, the Cavensi Flag-wavers Board, and the Association of Knights of the White Parchment, in collaboration with the Municipality of Cava de' Tirreni. Over the years, the Disfida has become part of the landscape of major Italian historical re-enactments recognized by the Ministry of Culture.
When to go
The event is traditionally set for the first weekend of July, with the historical pageant on Saturday and the shooting competition on Sunday evening. In the weeks leading up to it, the city hosts collateral events: exhibitions, conferences, theatrical re-enactments, and the Città Fedelissima Trophy trial. It is advisable to arrive well in advance, both for the pageant and the competition, as attendance is very high.
Disfida dei Trombonieri — edition 2026
The 50th edition
2026 celebrated the fiftieth appointment of the Disfida dei Trombonieri - The White Parchment, with an expanded program that involved Cava de' Tirreni for over a month. The journey began in June with the opening of a temporary museum and the exhibition Dust, Faith, and Fire: the soul of Cava at the Monumental Complex of the Monastery of San Giovanni, where the original White Parchment was exceptionally displayed.
The two key days
Saturday, July 4, at 7:00 PM, the grand historical pageant crossed the city with more than a thousand participants, trombonieri, flag-wavers, and knights, concluding with the drawing of the shooting order at the Cathedral, in the presence of Mayor Raffaele Giordano and Archbishop Orazio Soricelli. Sunday, July 5, from 8:30 PM, the shooting competition at the Simonetta Lamberti municipal stadium saw the eight districts in the field, each with 36 arquebusiers.
The verdicts
The Victory Drape - signed by artist Lucia Fiore - was won by the Senatore District, while the Città Fedelissima Trophy for the best choreography went to the Santissimo Sacramento District. The Golden Parchment, an award for the 50th edition, was assigned to journalist and writer Lorella Di Biase and to Giovanni Bernabei.
Programme Disfida dei Trombonieri 2026
Towards the 50th edition (June 2026)
- June 8-14 - Temporary museum and exhibition Dust, Faith, and Fire: the soul of Cava, Monumental Complex of the Monastery of San Giovanni (Monday-Friday 5:00 PM-9:00 PM; Saturday and Sunday 10:00 AM-12:30 PM and 5:00 PM-9:00 PM), with exceptional display of the original White Parchment
- Conference Dialogues between history, technique, and identity: the future of the Great Palios of Italy, at the temporary museum, with Massimo Massetti (Quintana of Ascoli Piceno), Giovanni Bellini (Palio of Ferrara), Giuseppe Foscari, and Aniello Ragone, moderated by Antonio Di Martino
- June 20-21 - Città Fedelissima Trophy, Simonetta Lamberti municipal stadium
- June 28 - Historical re-enactment September 4, 1460 - The White Parchment, the Guasti to the City of Cava: a story of courage and loyalty, Garden of the Monumental Complex of San Giovanni
Saturday, July 4, 2026
- 7:00 PM - Grand Historical Pageant through the streets of Cava de' Tirreni: over a thousand participants in 15th-century costumes, trombonieri, arquebusiers, flag-wavers, and knights
- Following - Drawing of the shooting order at the Cathedral of Cava de' Tirreni, with Mayor Raffaele Giordano, Archbishop Orazio Soricelli, and the captains of the eight trombonieri groups
Sunday, July 5, 2026
- 8:30 PM - Disfida dei Trombonieri - The White Parchment, 50th edition, Simonetta Lamberti municipal stadium: shooting competition between the eight districts (Santissimo Sacramento, Filangieri, Borgo Scacciaventi-Croce, Monte Castello, Santa Maria del Rovo, Sant'Anna, Sant'Anna all'Oliveto, Senatore), 36 arquebusiers per district
- Awarding of the Victory Drape and the Città Fedelissima Trophy
Highlights Disfida dei Trombonieri 2026
- 50th edition of the Disfida, half a century since the first in 1974
- Historical pageant with over a thousand participants in 15th-century attire
- Drawing of the shooting order in front of the Cathedral
- Shooting competition of the eight districts at the Simonetta Lamberti stadium, 36 arquebusiers each
- Exceptional display of the original White Parchment at the San Giovanni temporary museum
- 2026 Victory Drape created by artist Lucia Fiore
- Victory of the Senatore District; Città Fedelissima Trophy to the Santissimo Sacramento District
Prices Disfida dei Trombonieri 2026
Practical information — Disfida dei Trombonieri
How to get there
By car: A3 Naples-Salerno motorway, Cava de' Tirreni exit; the city is about 10 km from Salerno and 45 km from Naples. During the event days, the center is closed to traffic and peripheral parking lots are active.
By train: Cava de' Tirreni station on the Salerno-Naples line, a few minutes' walk from the historic center and the pageant route.
Airport: Salerno-Costa d'Amalfi (approx. 25 km) and Naples-Capodichino (approx. 55 km).
On-site
- The historical pageant winds through the city center: it can be followed freely from the sidewalks and the porticos of Borgo Scacciaventi.
- The shooting competition is held at the Simonetta Lamberti municipal stadium in the evening: arrive early to find a seat in the stands.
- The arquebus volleys are very loud: caution is advised with small children and pets.
Information
ATSC - Association of Trombonieri, Flag-wavers, and Knights, Corso Umberto I 153, Cava de' Tirreni (SA). Phone +39 347 1251897, email [email protected], website www.atsc.it.
Where to stay
Cava de' Tirreni has hotels and accommodations in the center and on the hills; the location is also excellent as a base for visiting Salerno, the Amalfi Coast, and Pompeii.
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Where does it take place — Disfida dei Trombonieri
Stadio Comunale Simonetta Lamberti
Corso Umberto I, 153, 84013 Cava de' Tirreni