In depth
What it is
The Mostra dei Presepi di Mercatello sul Metauro is a Christmas exhibition set up in the Chiesa di Santa Chiara, in the heart of the medieval village of Mercatello sul Metauro, in the province of Pesaro e Urbino, in the upper Metauro valley. It is organised by the local cultural association Arte&Altro. Mercatello is one of the most beautiful villages in Italy, known for its well-preserved historic centre, the San Francesco complex and truffle production, and the nativity scene exhibition is part of the calendar of events that bring the town to life during the Christmas period.
What makes it special
The value of this exhibition lies above all in the setting that hosts it: the Chiesa di Santa Chiara, a building attached to a fourteenth-century convent and rebuilt in the seventeenth century, with a single barrel-vaulted nave and sacred artworks on the walls. Visiting the nativity scenes therefore also means entering a small treasure chest of art in the village. The available sources do not provide precise information on techniques, materials or the number of nativity scenes and figures displayed in the various editions, a detail that the organisers of the initiative could clarify from year to year.
Origins and history
Certain information begins with the 2016-2017 edition, documented as the ninth edition of the exhibition and curated by the association Arte&Altro: this suggests a tradition that began a few years earlier, probably in the second half of the 2000s, but public sources do not report precisely the starting year or the name of whoever had the original idea. According to the sources consulted, there is no verifiable information on editions after 2017: anyone wishing to visit the exhibition in the current year would do well to check with the Pro Loco Mercatellese or the Municipality whether the initiative is still active.
What to see
Inside the church visitors find the nativity scenes set up for the occasion, in an environment that preserves valuable permanent artworks: the 1604 canvas by Felice Damiani on the high altar, an altarpiece from the Guerrieri school of the seventeenth century and a fifteenth-century fresco of the Madonna della Vittoria. The church sacristy also houses a small museum dedicated to Santa Veronica Giuliani, patron saint of the town, which can be an additional stop on the visit. On the individual nativity scenes displayed in the various editions, the sources offer no detailed descriptions.
When and how to visit
In its last documented edition the exhibition remained open from 17 December to 8 January, with continuous opening hours from 10am to 7pm, and admission was free. Traditionally the event therefore takes place in the period between Christmas Eve and Epiphany, in line with the typical duration of nativity scene exhibitions. As no public sources relating to more recent editions have been confirmed, anyone wishing to visit this year should enquire in good time with the Pro Loco Mercatellese or the tourist office of the Municipality of Mercatello sul Metauro to find out whether the initiative is being repeated and with what opening hours.
