Partita a Scacchi di Marostica a Personaggi Viventi

A Legend with a Renaissance Scent

The Partita a Scacchi di Marostica a Personaggi Viventi (Marostica Living Chess Game) is arguably Italy's most famous chess match. The spectacle unfolds in Piazza Castello, 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 decreed that the two suitors would compete not with arms, but 'in the noble game of chess,' with living pieces arranged on the grand chessboard of the piazza. Vieri da Vallonara emerged victorious and married Lionora, while Rinaldo was given the young Oldrada as his wife. It's worth remembering: 14th-century documentary sources do not directly attest to this episode, which has a more legendary than historical core, becoming over the centuries a foundational tale of Marostica's identity.

The Modern Spectacle

The reenactment originated in 1923 from the idea of two university students, Mirko Vucetich and Francesco Pozza, who staged it as a historical reenactment. Since then, the match has traditionally been played in even-numbered years. Each evening, the piazza transforms into a grand open-air theatre, with an amphitheatre 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, guards, ladies, and knights.

Marostica, the Chess Town

Marostica is known throughout Italy as 'the city of chess': the checkerboard paving of the piazza serves as a year-round reminder of the famous match. Visiting Marostica means discovering a perfectly preserved walled town, with the Lower and Upper Castles connected by ramparts, and breathing in an atmosphere that blends the Middle Ages with Venetian popular tradition.