Tirata del Giglio of Villanova del Battista

The Giglio of Villanova del Battista

In the heart of the Ufita Valley, on the eastern borders of the Province of Avellino, the town of Villanova del Battista preserves one of the most impressive grain rituals in Campania. Every year on August 27th, a pyramidal wooden obelisk up to 28 meters tall is pulled by hand through the village streets as a votive offering to Saint John the Baptist, the community's patron saint. This is the Tirata del Giglio: not a folk parade staged for tourists, but a celebration the village holds for itself, where visitors are simply welcomed as guests.

A 19th-century votive tradition

The tradition dates back to the early 19th century: according to local memory, the first giglio was a small two-meter votive offering by Costantino Ciccone. Over time, the votive structure grew into two obelisks—one about 25 meters tall made entirely of oats, and a smaller one of soft wheat. The earthquake of July 23, 1930, which destroyed the village, interrupted the ritual; for decades, the locals participated in the giglio of nearby Flumeri. Only in 1986, thanks to the initiative of then-mayor Ottaviano Silano—to whom the square where the pull begins is now dedicated—did the Giglio return to Villanova, and the tradition has continued unbroken ever since.

The 'Alzata': raising the Giglio

The festival does not begin on August 27th, but on the preceding Sunday with the alzata (raising): the obelisk, assembled on the ground, is slowly moved from a horizontal to a vertical position in Piazza Ottaviano Silano. It is a moment of great technical tension and immense popular participation, accompanied by live music and stalls selling local products. As the locals say, when the Giglio is standing, the festival can truly begin.

The August 27th 'Tirata'

On the afternoon of August 27th, usually around 5 PM, the Giglio departs from Piazza Ottaviano Silano. Twelve ropes connect it to trees, railings, balconies, and lampposts; the capifune (rope leaders) coordinate the pullers—often children and teenagers—and pace the collective effort. The route winds through the historic center, following the ancient path and tackling daunting technical sections, such as the steep, sharp turn at the Rampa Fontana del Signore. It arrives in Piazza Aldo Moro, in front of the Santa Maria Assunta church, where the obelisk remains on display for weeks before being dismantled.

Straw, oats, and young hands

The most striking part of the Giglio is its 'skin.' The structure is divided into five overlapping tiers, topped by a spire, and entirely covered in panels of woven straw and wild oats. Work begins in early July with the harvesting of the oats and the hand-reaping of the wheat, necessary to obtain long, intact stalks. After soaking in water, the stems become flexible and are used in traditional techniques—trucinielli, specchietti, braids, and strips of split straw—passed down orally from generation to generation. These are crafted primarily by the village's young people, often minors: a detail that speaks volumes about how this community transmits its knowledge.

Fish Festival and folk music

Once the Giglio reaches the square, the exertion gives way to celebration. In the evening, Piazza Aldo Moro hosts the Fish Festival, with fried fish and dishes served at the stalls, and a folk music concert that closes the day; in recent years, groups from the Irpinian and Campanian folk scenes have performed. The Tirata is also the most anticipated moment of the Villanova August, the town's summer calendar filled with dance evenings, village festivals, and tastings of Ufita Valley specialties.

The grain rituals of Irpinia

Villanova del Battista is part of the Grain Festivals network, which brings together Irpinian and Southern Italian towns tied to straw votive structures: Flumeri, Fontanarosa, Mirabella Eclano, and other centers build gigli, obelisks, and grain wagons every summer. Seeing one means quickly understanding the relationship between these communities, the land, and the harvest cycle: an intangible peasant heritage that is still alive and practiced in Irpinia, not merely preserved in a museum.

When to go

The key date is always August 27th, regardless of the day of the week; the raising falls on the preceding Sunday. If you only have one day, choose the 27th: there is the pull in the afternoon, the Fish Festival in the evening, and the village celebrates until late at night.