Presepe Monumentale! !

The largest nativity in the world, Christmas guided tour

YOU’VE NEVER SEEN A NATIVITY SCENE THIS LARGE

The largest nativity scene in the world!

The small city of Cave, a charming medieval village just outside of Rome, is home to an unparalleled work of art: a series of bronze sculptures more than 4 meters tall which depict the Christmas nativity scene.
The nativity, done by the maestro Lorenzo Ferri, is a larger-than-life representation of the Christmas nativity and the adoration of the three wise men.
Visitors cross the pedestrian wooden bridge to enter the old town of Cave and take a short walk to where the collection of sculptures are housed in the fascinating hypogeum of the former Augustinian seminary.
It all began in 1946 when the priests of the order Teatini di Sant’Andrea della Valle in Rome announced a contest for the creation of a work of art which depicted “the mystery of the adoration of the three wise men in the cave of Bethlehem”. The nine statues were to replace the pre-existing statues made of papier maché constructed in 1846 by the artist Pietro Cantagalli, the same artist who made the nativity scene in Saint Peter’s Square in Rome.
Maestro Ferri won the competition and began working on the impressive project. The new nativity scene was supposed to incude nine statues, each 3 to 4 meters tall, that could be disassembled and reassembled by placing one piece atop the other. The monumental creation put Maestro Ferri to the test, especially because of the enormity of each sculpture and because of the set design where the sculptures where to be positioned.
In the end, the extreme cost and the huge amount of time required for the creation of each piece forced the Teatini priests to give up on the commissioned project. However in the nine months following their decision, Maestro Ferri dedicated himself completely to the project and was able to finish the construction of the gigantic statues which we can admire today in the town of Cave at the museum dedicated to this artist. He used various models for the creation of the sculptures, including his son Sirio and the former boxing champion Erminio Spalla. One of the creations bears the face of Maetro Ferri.
The statues depicting the three wise men were made only after having done meticulous research on costumes and other details observed during the sculptor’s travels through the Orient and North Africa, places where he had gone to research the Holy Shroud. Indeed Maestro Ferri was one of the most active researchers of this sacred cloth; the artist also made a perfect replica of the Holy Shroud which is currently preserved inside the Municipal Building of the city of Cave.
The Monumental Nativity Scene was generously donated by Ferri’s heirs to the city of Cave with the request to conserve the work of art with dignity and in a suitable place that is open to the public.

 OPENING TIMES AND DATES OF THE MUSEO FERRI

From December 6, 2014 to January 6, 2015

Every Saturday and Sunday: from 10:30am to 12:30pm and 3:30pm to 7:00pm
Other days dates: December 8, 19, 23, 26; January 5 and 6 from 4:00pm to 7:00pm
GUIDED VISITS: Guided visits by the association Cave in Tour will be available on December 21 and 27.

 

LORENZO FERRI MUSEUM – GUIDED VISITS PROGRAM

FIRST DATE

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2014

• Arrival in the afternoon and check-in at your B&B, farmhouse or holiday apartment selected by Rome Countryside
• Receive your voucher for shopping discounts (5-20%) at the Fashion District Outlet in Valmontone
• Evening on your own
• Lodging at your B&B, farmhouse or holiday apartment selected by Rome Countryside

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2014

• Breakfast
• 9:30am meeting time in Cave in Piazza Garibaldi (the square in front of the municipal building)
• Visit the Monumental Nativity Scene at the Museo Lorenzo Ferri
• Guided tour of the town of Cave
• Lunch on your own
• Afternoon on your own at the Fashion District Outlet in Valmontone

Package price: €39.90 per person 

Possibility of adding a meal of traditional local recipes on Saturday night at dinner and on Sunday at lunch for €25.00 per person.

SECOND DATE

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 26, 2014

• Arrival in the afternoon and check-in at your B&B, farmhouse or holiday apartment selected by Rome Countryside
• Receive your voucher for shopping discounts (5-20%) at the Fashion District Outlet in Valmontone
• Evening on your own
• Lodging at your B&B, farmhouse or holiday apartment selected by Rome Countryside

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2014

• Breakfast
• 9:30am meeting time in Cave in Piazza Garibaldi (the square in front of the municipal building)
• Visit the Monumental Nativity Scene at the Museo Lorenzo Ferri
• Guided tour of the town of Cave
• Lunch on your own
• Afternoon on your own at the Fashion District Outlet in Valmontone

Package price: €39.90 per person 

Possibility of adding a meal of traditional local recipes on Saturday night at dinner and on Sunday at lunch for €25.00 per person.

OPTIONAL EXTRA TIME:

1 extra night and ticket for Rainbow Magicland Amusement Park of Rome Valmontone for the following day

• €49.00 per person
• children up to ten years of age €25.00
• children age 11-15 €39.00