The Night of Count Baldovino

A week to relive the Renaissance of Savino

The Night of Count Baldovino is the grand historical re-enactment of Monte San Savino, a village in the Valdichiana area of the province of Arezzo, in the heart of Tuscany. Every year, during the last week of June, the local community commemorates the investiture ceremony of Count Baldovino with the solemn presentation of the city keys, bringing one of the most significant pages of its history back to life.

Historical roots: 1550 and the Del Monte family

The event has its roots in 1550, when Giovanni Maria Ciocchi del Monte, a member of an ancient and noble family from Savino, became Pope under the name Julius III. In July of that same year, his brother Baldovino received the feudal investiture from Duke Cosimo I de' Medici, obtaining the land of Monte San Savino with the title of count. It is this event that the re-enactment celebrates every summer, restoring the atmosphere of the mid-16th century to the village.

Processions, festivities, and historical games

During the festival, nobles and commoners participate in the so-called allegrezze (festivities): amidst street games, banquets, merchants, and street performers, the city welcomes the new count and gives thanks to the Patron Saints. Costumed processions, flag-wavers, and historical groups wind through the streets and squares of the historic center, while Renaissance markets and performances enliven the village until late at night.

The competitive heart of the event is the challenge between the districts of the town, which compete for victory in three traditional historical games:

• Caccia di Monte
• Pallone Grosso
• Tug of War

Semifinals and finals take place throughout the week, accompanied by the districts' propitiatory dinners, the dinner in honor of Count Baldovino, and culinary challenges between the neighborhoods.

The grand finale: the count's investiture

The final evening is the most anticipated moment: Renaissance dances, fire shows, and, around 10:15 PM, the grand historical pageant with the investiture ceremony of Count Baldovino and the awarding of the winning district. A suggestive epilogue that brings one of the most heartfelt re-enactments in the Province of Arezzo to a beautiful close.

An identity-defining event of the Arezzo region

Organized by the Pro Loco of Monte San Savino with the collaboration of the Municipality and local historical groups, The Night of Count Baldovino has been a staple of the Savino summer for decades and a magnet for historical re-enactment enthusiasts from all over Tuscany. For visitors, it is also an opportunity to discover one of the most beautiful villages in the Valdichiana, with its Renaissance palaces and the works of Sansovino, an illustrious fellow citizen.