Infiorata Extra of Gallicano nel Lazio

When the Infiorata doesn't end with the flowers

In Gallicano nel Lazio, a small village in the Prenestini Mountains within the Metropolitan City of Rome, the Corpus Domini Infiorata has been a defining local tradition for years: hundreds of volunteers work for entire nights on a floral carpet that winds through the historic center, only to see it fade away in a few hours during the procession. From this awareness of the ephemeral, Infiorata Extra was born: an artistic extension that, once the petals are gone, leaves behind a widespread exhibition of contemporary sculpture that can be visited for weeks.

«The Return», the 2026 widespread exhibition

The 2026 edition brings the «The Return» exhibition to the village streets, curated by Andrea Guastella and Fulvio Merolli of Studio M'arte and organized by the Aurea Phoenix aps association with the patronage of the Municipality of Gallicano nel Lazio. The route is inspired by the Augustinian maxim «Love and do what you will» and proposes a universal journey on the theme of rebirth, narrated through the allegory of the transformation of grain into bread: from separation to sacrifice, and finally to self-discovery.

Alongside the works created by Studio M'arte, there are three large totems decorated by four young talents from the Academies of Fine Arts — Emanuele Barba, Leonardo Galliera, Denisa Maria Leat, and Alessia Rinaldi — who visually interpret Saint Augustine's thoughts on the Eucharist contained in Discourse 229. It is the second chapter of a project started in 2025 with the exhibition «The Journey», dedicated to the theme of pilgrims of hope.

A village that becomes an open-air museum

• The sculptures are placed along alleys, small squares, and plazas of the historic center, in dialogue with the stone architecture and the places where the flower carpets were laid just days before.
• The visit is free and open, with no set opening hours: the route can be explored freely on foot, both by day and by night.
• The project involves academies, emerging artists, and international artists, with the stated goal of promoting the Prenestini territory beyond regional borders.

Art, faith, and sustainability

Infiorata Extra shares a now-distinctive choice with its parent Infiorata: sustainability. Since 2025, the carpets of Gallicano nel Lazio have been made with recycled materials — sawdust, wood shavings, natural sands, marble dust, coffee grounds, and mineral pigments — a rare case in the national landscape of flower festivals. The exhibition extends this narrative, shifting from the ephemeral matter of flowers to the durable nature of sculpture.

The event is part of a wider network: the Infiorata of Gallicano is a member of the National Network of Flower Carpets and Ephemeral Art Compositions, which brings together dozens of events throughout Italy, and the Gallicano master infioratori bring their art to Rome every year, along Via della Conciliazione, for the feast of Saints Peter and Paul.

Why it's worth the trip

Visiting Gallicano nel Lazio during Infiorata Extra means discovering a village in the Lazio region far from mass tourism circuits, just over thirty kilometers from Rome, in a season when the evenings are long and the historic center is vibrant. It is a perfect proposal for those who love contemporary art but also for those seeking the slow pace of a village in the Prenestini Mountains, with scenic views of the Aniene valley, family-run trattorias, and a community that has made collective creativity its signature.