Bevagna and the Mercato delle Gaite Festival

The Mercato delle Gaite Festival celebrates the medieval organization of Bevagna in four districts called the Gaite. The purpose of the event is to reconstruct the daily life of the inhabitants of the town between the years 1250 and 1350 , with the greatest historical accuracy and wealth of details. The Gaite are the four districts that compete in this historical re-enactment during 10 days. Medieval scenes, taverns and handicrafts enliven the streets of the city. Many of these medieval crafts can be visited all year round. The paper mill, the silk spinning workshop, the wax candlemaker workshop and the painter will show their work using ancient techniques and original materials.

A visit to an oil mill among the olive groves will explain the procedure of oil extraction. Ancient machines combined with modern technology show how olives are weighed, washed, crushed and centrifuged to obtain the so-called “green gold”.