In depth
What it is
The Gualtieri family nativity scene is an artistic work set up every Christmas in the crypt of the Cattedrale di San Giovanni Battista, the cathedral of Cesena, in piazza Giovanni Paolo II. It is part of a route of nativity scenes that the Gualtieri family, originally from Montiano, curates every year in different locations across Romagna: the oldest stop remains the one in their own town, at the Rocca Malatestiana di Montiano, which opens first, while the one in the cathedral of Cesena follows a few weeks later, remaining open until Epiphany.
What makes it special
What makes this nativity scene unique is first of all the location: the cathedral crypt, an intimate and dimly lit space accessed from the cathedral naves, transformed by the Gualtieri family with lights and sound into an emotional journey of about 30 square metres. It is not a simple miniature Nativity: each edition develops a specific theme (the latest dedicated to L'amore di Dio nella Bellezza) and places alongside the grotto other episodes, such as the suffering of those in pain, Mary Magdalene at the tomb or the figures of Mother Teresa of Calcutta, Padre Pio and Don Bosco, chosen to represent care for the body, the spirit and the youngest. The result is a nativity scene more contemplative than scenic, designed for reflection rather than wonder.
Origins and history
The tradition began in 1956, when Quarto Gualtieri, a twelve-year-old boy from Montiano, won first prize in a parish nativity scene competition: from that moment he never stopped building them, refining over the years a technique that made him a recognised authority in nativity scene art. Today the legacy is carried forward by his children Marco and Caterina Gualtieri, who every December curate several installations across Romagna, including, besides Montiano and Cesena, those in Longiano and Santarcangelo di Romagna. The nativity scene in the crypt of the cathedral of Cesena is created with the support of the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Cesena and has been inaugurated, in recent years, with a public ceremony in mid-December. The sources consulted do not indicate the exact year the nativity scene debuted in this location.
What you see
Visitors descend from the cathedral naves into the semi-darkness of the crypt, where the installation uses warm lights and shadow to guide the eye from one scene to another. At the centre remains the traditional Nativity, with the grotto, Mary, Joseph and the Child, but around it other narrative tableaux open up: figures expressing human suffering, invocation to God, piety before the tomb, together with statues of saints connected to the care of the sick, the suffering and children. The whole composes a route of about 30 square metres designed to be walked through slowly, more like a small journey of Christmas meditation than a nativity scene of mere posed figurines.
When and how to visit
The Gualtieri family nativity scene normally follows the Christmas calendar: the Montiano stop, at the Rocca Malatestiana, opens at the beginning of December, while the one in the crypt of the cathedral of Cesena is inaugurated around 21 December and remains open until Epiphany, 11 January. In the latest edition (2025-2026) the indicated hours were: public holidays from 3.30pm to 5.30pm, weekdays from 10am to 12pm and from 3.30pm to 5.30pm, with closure during religious services. Admission is free. Being a seasonal installation curated by volunteers, it is always advisable to check dates and times for the current year before visiting.
