Il Placito Capuano

Where the Italian language was born

In March 960 AD, before the judge of Capua, a witness spoke the famous formula: "Sao ko kelle terre, per kelle fini que ki contene, trenta anni le possette parte Sancti Benedicti". Those few lines, known as the Placito Capuano, are considered the first official document written in the vernacular—the language that would eventually become Italian. Every year, the city of Capua, in the heart of the Terra di Lavoro in the province of Caserta, celebrates this milestone with a grand historical re-enactment that transports the community back to the Lombard Middle Ages.

A weekend of history, art, and memory

The event spans two days, transforming Capua's historic center into an open-air museum. Visitors are guided through Lombard churches, the Campano Museum, the Cathedral, and medieval alleys by costumed re-enactors. Meanwhile, in the Piazzetta del Placito, the scriptorium comes to life with demonstrations of Beneventan script, educational stations, and a Lombard armory. The highlight is the theatrical re-enactment of the 960 trial, which brings the solemn atmosphere of that distant day back to life.

The program of the 11th edition

The eleventh edition, scheduled for May 16–17, 2026, opens on Saturday with "The Youth Placito": an awards ceremony for students, a historical pageant dedicated to Pandolfo Capodiferro, and a concert by the "G. Martucci" Orchestra in the Chiesa del Gesù Gonfalone, featuring students from the "L. Garofano" Musical High School. Sunday is dedicated to "Open Monuments and Re-enactment of the Placito Trial," featuring guided tours, exhibitions, and the theatrical performance by the "La Mansarda - Teatro dell'Orco" company.

Open monuments and Lombard itineraries

• Guided tours of the churches of San Salvatore a Corte, San Giovanni, San Michele, and the Cathedral with its Crypt
• Alternative itinerary through San Rufo, San Carponio, Sant'Angelo Audoaldis, and the Royal Armory
• Scriptorium with Beneventan script demonstrations and educational Lombard stations
• "Representing the Placito Capuano" exhibition featuring student artworks and video projections

Capua, the birthplace of the language

The re-enactment is part of a broader cultural project that defines Capua as "the place of the language," a city committed to preserving and promoting the roots of the national idiom. The initiative is further enriched by literary events and awards dedicated to the Italian language, confirming Capua's status as an essential destination for those wishing to understand the history of Italian culture.

A local event

Il Placito Capuano is promoted by the Italian Touring Club with the Terra di Lavoro Territory Club and the "Aperti per Voi" group of Capua, in collaboration with the Municipality of Capua and local associations. Admission to all activities is free, reflecting a festival conceived as a gift from the community to itself and its visitors in one of the most fascinating art cities in Campania.