Festival of the Madonna della Bruna
Event Dates
- End Date: 1 July 2008
The Madonna della Bruna is the patron saint of Matera and this annual festival celebrates her patronage by transporting her effigy throughout the town in a celebration that combines pagan and Christian imagery.
The highlight of the festival is the spectacular destruction of the Carro which carries the Madonna on her voyage through the town. The vehicle is made of papier mache and takes a full year to make, as it is adorned with rich and incredibly elaborate imagery and scenes from both the Old and the New Testaments. The art of making it is a well-preserved artisan tradition of the town, a skill passed down from father to son in particular families through the centuries.
The Carro is accompanied and protected by an entourage of armoured knights with torches, representing the Armigeri of Count Tramontano, one of the feudal lords of Matera. However well armed and imposing the knights may look, every year they are still "unable" to prevent the obliteration of the vehicle at the hands of the villagers. Scraps and bits of the Carro are prized souvenirs, and if you're quick on your feet you might even be able to secure one for yourself.
The festival was instituted officially on 2 July 1380 by Urban VI. Since then it has had a long and chequered history, picking up influences and elements of a number of different cultures and historical traditions. The Carro itself is a comparatively recent addition to the celebration, apparently dating back only as far as 1690, but it has become an integral part of the festival and a spectacular climax to the devotions of Materans and pilgrims alike.
Matera is also famous in architectural terms as the "Citta dei Sassi". The Sassi form part of the town which was built into the rocky hillside below the city and until quite recently used to be the "poor" quarters. The structures of the area have received wide attention and are classified as a historical treasure site by UNESCO. Well worth a visit if you're in the area.
website: www.festadellabruna.it
