Living Chess Game of Marostica

A Legend with a Renaissance Scent

The Living Chess Game of Marostica is probably the most famous chess game in Italy. The spectacle takes place in Piazza Castello, in the heart of the medieval town of Marostica, in the province of Vicenza, at the foot of the Lower Castle which serves as a natural scenic backdrop.

The Story: The 1454 Duel

According to legend, set in 1454, two noblemen — Rinaldo d'Angarano and Vieri da Vallonara — both fell in love with the beautiful Lionora, daughter of the castellan of Marostica. To avoid a mortal duel, the maiden's father decided that the two suitors would challenge each other not with weapons, but 'at the noble game of chess', with living pieces arranged on the great chessboard of the square. Vieri da Vallonara emerged victorious and married Lionora, while Rinaldo was given the young Oldrada in marriage. It is important to remember: 14th-century documentary sources do not directly attest to this episode, which has a more legendary than historical core, and has become over the centuries the foundational story of Marostica's identity.

The Modern Spectacle

The reenactment was born in 1923 from the idea of two university students, Mirko Vucetich and Francesco Pozza, who created it as a historical reenactment. Since then, the game has traditionally been played in even-numbered years: each evening, the square transforms into a large open-air theatre, with an amphitheater of thousands of numbered seats set up in front of the castle. Over 600 participants in splendid period costumes bring the contest to life, accompanied by music, lights, fire shows, flag-wavers, guardsmen, ladies, and knights.

Marostica, the Chess Town

Marostica is known throughout Italy as 'the city of chess': the checkerboard pavement of the square reminds everyone of the famous game all year round. Visiting Marostica means discovering a perfectly preserved walled town, with the Lower and Upper Castles connected by the walls, and breathing an atmosphere that blends the Middle Ages with Venetian popular tradition.