In depth
What it is
The Presepe del Mare di Casalborsetti is an artistic nativity scene set up every year inside the church of San Lorenzo, in piazza Marradi 4, in the coastal hamlet of Casalborsetti, municipality of Ravenna. It is made entirely with seashells and materials collected on the beach and in the nearby pine forest, and is organised by the Parrocchia di San Lorenzo together with the Pro Loco di Casalborsetti. It is part of the route of the Presepi della via del Mare, which links several nativity scenes set up in the northern beaches of Ravenna.
What makes it special
The distinctive feature of this nativity scene is the technique: no traditional terracotta figurines, but a large setting built almost exclusively with seashells of every shape and size, collected on the coast, together with other materials of marine origin and vegetation from the local pine forest. The display occupies an area of about 30 square metres, located next to the church altar, and requires about six weeks of work and the help of several people from the community for the assembly of structures, installations and scenery. The composition is divided into two parts: an oriental section, which recalls the flight into Egypt with settings inspired by that era, and a section that reproduces the houses and typical landscapes of the Ravenna area, in a striking contrast between the biblical East and the Romagna coast.
Origins and history
The idea was born in the early 1980s from Rino Belletti, a resident of Casalborsetti, who decided to build a nativity scene inspired by the sea to celebrate the birth of his two daughters, decorating it with the seashells he found on the beach. With the approval of the then parish priest, don Franco, the structure was placed near the altar of the church of San Lorenzo. Over the years the small family nativity scene, initially helped by some Venetian relatives of Belletti, grew to become a collective work supported by much of the village community, reaching its current size and complexity. Rino Belletti died in August 2021, at the age of 78. After his death his wife Nadia and the community of Casalborsetti decided to continue the tradition, while the parish priest proposed starting a sort of seashell nativity school for catechism children, to pass on the technique to new generations. Over the years the same structure has also been adapted in an Easter version, transformed into a representation of the Passion.
What to see
Entering the church, next to the altar, there is a large setting in the shape of a hut and village, entirely covered with seashells of all kinds. On one side the scene reconstructs in an oriental style the episode of the flight of the Holy Family into Egypt, with architecture and landscapes that evoke that era; on the other side there is a section that reproduces the houses and typical views of the Casalborsetti area and the Ravenna coast, with caves, paths and meticulous scenery built almost piece by piece with material washed up by the sea.
When and how to visit
The Presepe del Mare is set up every year during the Christmas period, generally from early December to early January, and remains open to visitors even in the weeks following Epiphany. In the last documented edition (8 December 2025 / 9 January 2026) the opening hours were every day from 8.30 to 18.00. Entry is free, as it is a display inside a parish church open for worship; there are no tickets or compulsory bookings. For the current year it is advisable to check updated dates and times with the Parrocchia di San Lorenzo or the Pro Loco di Casalborsetti, as the calendar may vary from previous editions.
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