Presepi in Centro – Nativity Scene and Diorama Exhibition

A Castelli Romani village that becomes a living nativity

Presepi in Centro – Nativity Scene and Diorama Exhibition is the major Christmas event in Monte Porzio Catone, a town in the Metropolitan City of Rome, nestled in the heart of the Castelli Romani and the Lazio region. From December 8th to January 6th, the historic center turns into a widespread exhibition route: not just a single hall, but an itinerary winding through squares, alleys, and picturesque corners of the town, where every stop holds a nativity scene or a diorama.

The format chosen for this edition is its true strength. Visitors don't just look at the works; they walk through the village, climb up and down the narrow streets, and enter historic rooms made available by local confraternities and families. It is a way to rediscover the ancient urban layout of Monte Porzio Catone while following the thread of nativity art.

The return after six years

The exhibition has a long history: the 22nd edition was held between December 8, 2019, and January 6, 2020, after which the event went on hiatus. The 2025 return was therefore welcomed as a significant local event: after a six-year break, the Gruppo Amici del Presepe restarted the organizational engine, calling back exhibitors and enthusiasts and reopening the historic center's venues.

The initiative stems from the collaboration between the Gruppo Amici del Presepe, the Confraternita del SS. Sacramento, the Confraternita di Sant'Antonino, and the Parrocchia di San Gregorio Magno, with the support of the Municipality of Monte Porzio Catone, the Pro Loco, the Lazio Region, and the Metropolitan City of Rome. It follows a typically Italian model, where religious associations and civil volunteers work hand in hand.

Nativity scenes, dioramas, and artisan art

The heart of the exhibition lies in the works themselves: artistic nativity scenes built by hand, often over the course of an entire year, and dioramas—three-dimensional scale scenes that reconstruct environments, landscapes, and trades with an almost obsessive attention to detail. Alongside the creations of local nativity artists, works from other parts of Italy are featured, fostering a dialogue between different regional schools and traditions.

• Artistic nativity scenes by the Gruppo Amici del Presepe of Monte Porzio Catone
• Scale dioramas with scenic lighting
• Guest works from other Italian regions
• Displays in historic venues and along the streets of the center
• Scenic nativity scene set up in the town's Cathedral

A network of nativity villages

Monte Porzio Catone is not an isolated case: the exhibition is part of the «L'Arte del Presepe nei Borghi» project, a network that connects various Italian towns around the nativity tradition, and engages with events in neighboring Castelli Romani and Prenestina area towns, such as Palestrina and Valmontone. For those visiting the territory in December, it is possible to build a multi-day itinerary between one village and another.

Christmas in the historic center

The exhibition is the backbone of the «Natale in Centro» program, which enlivens Monte Porzio Catone on December weekends with the Craft Market: stalls featuring entirely handmade goods, distributed throughout the historic center and open during the same hours as the exhibition. Musical performances, street artists, and initiatives by the Wine Museum add to the experience, in a town that is also a City of Wine and the home of Frascati.

Why it's worth the trip

Less than half an hour from Rome, Monte Porzio Catone offers an intimate and authentic version of Christmas in Lazio: no large commercial displays, but a village that lights up, opens its cellars and historic rooms, and tells the story of a still-vibrant artisan tradition. Free admission and the widespread format make the visit suitable for families with children, who can discover the dioramas like small theater scenes hidden among the alleys.