Festa di Mura

A City That Returns to the Middle Ages

For a long weekend in September, the Mura district of Palazzolo sull'Oglio, in the heart of the province of Brescia, abandons the present and dresses in medieval attire. The ancient streets of the village, nestled between stone houses overlooking the Oglio River, are transformed into a veritable fortified city: city walls and gates are rebuilt, period taverns reopen, torches are lit, and the squares are filled with costumed artisans, musicians, and commoners.

The Origins of the Festival

The Festa di Mura was born in 1991, inspired by the memory of the San Gerolamo festival of 1936, and has grown year by year ever since, becoming a landmark event for the entire Franciacorta and Sebino region. Organized by the San Gerolamo Committee with the support of the Culture Department of the Municipality of Palazzolo sull'Oglio, the event involves hundreds of volunteers from the district who spend months preparing costumes, sets, and decorations.

What to See and Experience

The program alternates moments of great spectacle with scenes of daily life in the medieval village:

• Costumed processions with ladies and knights in the retinue of the duke and duchess
• Flag-wavers and folk groups with ancient music and dances
• The traditional giving of dowries to brides according to ancient custom
• Demonstrations of ancient crafts by artisans
• Period taverns with traditional Bresbyterian dishes
• Reenactments of historical events, medieval music concerts, and activities for children

Opening and Closing

The festival opens on Friday evening with the herald's procession, which travels through the district announcing the start of the festivities, and closes on Sunday evening with a pyromusical show that lights up the sky over the river. Those who wish to dress up as a medieval character can rent costumes at Locanda Parisì, in via Gorini in Palazzolo sull'Oglio.

Included in the city's tourist calendar and also promoted by the Visit Lake Iseo portal, the Festa di Mura is today one of the events that best tells the historical identity of Palazzolo sull'Oglio and its connection with the river.