Medieval Fair "At the Court of the Sanseverino" (San Severino Tells Its Story)

The Middle Ages come alive at the foot of the Sanseverino castle

In the municipality of Mercato San Severino, in the province of Salerno, in the heart of the Irno Valley in Campania, the "At the Court of the Sanseverino" Medieval Fair is the event that best captures the town's identity. Also known by its historical title "San Severino tells its story... the Medieval Fair", the event transforms the streets of the center, Piazza Ettore Imperio, and the ruins of the ancient Sanseverino Castle into a vast open-air stage for an entire weekend, filled with history, entertainment, culture, and tradition.

The underlying concept is simple and engaging: to offer the public—families, children, history buffs, and tourists—a complete immersion in the era of feudal lords, knights, and tournaments, with performers in period costumes bringing alleys, workshops, and courtyards to life.

A fair with roots in 1303

The re-enactment is no coincidence. The historical reference is the first fair granted in 1303 by Charles II of Anjou to Count Tommaso II Sanseverino: from that privilege comes the mercantile vocation that gave the town its very name, "Mercato" (Market). Over the years, the event has also recounted the rise and fall of the powerful Sanseverino family, up to the events linked to the Conspiracy of the Barons in 1486.

Conferences and in-depth sessions revolve around this narrative core: in 2025, for example, the program hosted the seminar "The Fiefdom of the Sanseverino of Marsico: Power, Territory, and Identity in the Medieval Mezzogiorno", confirming a structure that goes beyond mere costumed festivities to provide a documented historical context.

What to see at the fair

The program is built, edition after edition, around recurring elements that simultaneously animate the village and the castle's archaeological area:

• Historical procession with nobles, ladies, men-at-arms, and commoners through the historic center
• Medieval market with handicrafts, ancient trades, spices, and period specialties
• Archery and crossbow shooting, medieval games, and weapons demonstrations
• Equestrian shows and knightly trials
• Falconry with birds of prey and their falconers
• Musicians, jesters, flag-wavers, choirs, and medieval dances
• Educational workshops and games for children
• Exhibition of torture instruments and theatrical performances on the history of the Sanseverino family
• Excursions and guided tours of the castle's archaeological site

The medieval Sanseverino Castle

The most evocative setting is the Sanseverino Castle, a fortress of Norman origin that stretches across the Pandola hill and is among the largest in Italy by surface area. Today, it is the heart of a regional Archaeological-Naturalistic Park, managed and promoted by the Universitas Sancti Severini association, which organizes guided tours, trekking routes, and a calendar of events throughout the year, from summer astronomical evenings to re-enactments.

During the fair, the castle is not just a scenic backdrop: the Piazza d'Armi (Parade Ground), the walkways, and the ruins become performance spaces, and the "Path of the Sanseverino" excursion allows visitors to reach it on foot with guides who explain its layers, from the Norman age to its eventual abandonment.

A project for the Irno Valley

The event is part of a broader tourism promotion strategy for the Irno Valley territory: the 2025 edition was part of the "Nights between Villages and Legends" project, coordinated by the municipal administration with Deputy Mayor Enza Cavaliere and realized together with local associations and historical groups. Alongside the organizers, entities such as the Pro Loco of Mercato San Severino, the Universitas Sancti Severini association, and various re-enactment groups from the province of Salerno and neighboring regions have worked for years, bringing archers, crossbowmen, flag-wavers, and knights.

When it takes place

In recent years, the fair has been held on the last weekend of September, over two days, with the village opening in the afternoon and an evening program; in the past, it has also taken place in the spring and, as a "Medieval Day at the Castle", in June. Dates vary from year to year: it is best to check the calendar on official channels.