In depth
What it is
The Presepe meccanico di Gambettola, also called Grande presepe animato meccanico, is a large-scale Christmas nativity scene set up every year in Piazza Foro Boario, in the centre of Gambettola, a small town in the province of Forlì-Cesena, in Romagna. It is not a static nativity scene: the figures move thanks to mechanisms, recreating scenes of daily life, work and devotion around the Nativity. It is created and maintained by the Associazione Folclore Gambettolese, which presents it as a fixture of the town's Christmas calendar, capable of attracting visitors from outside the region as well.
What makes it special
The distinctive feature of this nativity scene is the choice to set it, each edition, in a different village in Romagna: in the 2025/2026 edition the scene recreated is that of Sarsina, with its co-cathedral and some figures who have marked its history. Houses, churches, squares and workshops are faithfully reproduced in detail and populated by moving figurines that knead bread, beat iron, weave or work the land, alongside the grotto of the Nativity. It is precisely the mechanical component, combined with the continuous change of setting built by hand each year by the same craftsmen, that distinguishes this nativity scene from other displays in the area.
Origins and history
The tradition began in 1988 on the initiative of volunteers from the Associazione Folclore Gambettolese and has never been interrupted since. The nativity scene is designed and created by brothers Luciano and Marco Fantini, who over the years have refined techniques, scenery and mechanisms. For about twenty years the association has chosen to set the Nativity no longer in a generic setting, but in a different village, town or city in Romagna each year, reproducing its characteristic monuments and figures: past editions have also featured Longiano, leading to the choice of Sarsina for the 2025/2026 edition, inaugurated with the blessing of the bishop of the diocese of Cesena Sarsina.
What to see
Entering the area set up in Piazza Foro Boario, visitors find a large hut that contains the reconstruction of the village chosen for the edition, with buildings, alleyways and squares to scale, including the church. Around the grotto with the Holy Family move shepherds, craftsmen and inhabitants of the village, animated by mechanisms that make them work, walk or gesture, whilst lights and sounds accompany the scene. Each figure wears carefully detailed costumes, in a reconstruction that combines the story of Christmas with the trades and life of times past in Romagna.
When and how to visit
The nativity scene normally opens in early December and remains on display until the first days of January, throughout the Christmas period: the 2025/2026 edition is announced from 6 December 2025 to 6 January 2026. In past editions the opening hours have been, on public holidays and the days before, from 9am to 12pm and from 2pm to 6pm, whilst on weekdays from 3.30pm to 5.30pm, with free admission. As opening hours and days may vary slightly from year to year, it is advisable to check updated information through the channels of the Associazione Folclore Gambettolese or the Comune di Gambettola before visiting.
