Monte Castello di Vibio and the Concordia Theater

Monte Castello di Vibio is a small village with just over 1000 inhabitants located in the heart of Umbria, in the province of Perugia. We are just a few kilometers from Todi, on a hill at 420 meters above sea level. There are many things to see in the small village of Monte Castello di Vibio, starting from the historic center, a true treasure trove that preserves its jewels. In Monte Castello, you will find churches, palaces, and squares, along with the nearby Doglio, which is a small castle with only 88 inhabitants, but what is most surprising is that here lies the smallest theater in the world. A precious gem that everyone should have the pleasure of getting to know.

Getting to Monte Castello di Vibio is never by chance; it is always a choice. Monte Castello is a village located on a hill and the road leading to it ends right there, at the entrance of its walls, making it impossible to stumble upon accidentally; you have to go there on purpose. To get there from the E45 Perugia-Cesena, one must travel a road through a wonderful hilly landscape. Once you exit at Monte Castello di Vibio, the landscape becomes increasingly tranquil, as if one has entered a time that flows more slowly. From the road, you can see Monte Castello dominating the gentle hills below, surrounded by spectacular panoramic views.

Monte Castello di Vibio gets its name from its structure of a medieval fortress situated on a hill, aptly named "Monte Castello." The addition of Vibio is likely linked to a landholding belonging to the Vibia family in Umbria. It is known that the hill of Monte Castello was inhabited even in prehistoric times. Some research suggests it may have been the site of a necropolis dating back to the Iron Age. Almost certainly, its foundation dates back to the Middle Ages, as evidenced by the structure of its fortress and, of course, its name.

Cipriano Piccolpasso, architect and painter of the 1500s, staying in Monte Castello di Vibio, stated that here the air is cleaner, healthier, and thus this is an ideal place to live. A kind of oasis where one can live in tune with nature. This natural context was also the subject of an anthropological research on 'the life of an Italian hilltown,' conducted by an American anthropologist who chose Monte Castello as 'the lost paradise.' All that's left is to discover what to see in Monte Castello di Vibio.

The entire historic center of Monte Castello di Vibio is enclosed within its walls, as if protecting it in an embrace. Streets intertwine quietly without the sound of a car. In this little village, one can feel in the air the scent of simple life. One wanders through the streets of the village and finds themselves confronted with a reality that feels ancient, where beauty can still be found. The beauty in the landscape, in the houses, in the palaces, in the squares, but most of all in the people who inhabit it. The human dimension in Monte Castello di Vibio is found everywhere. The people today are just like those from yesterday.

We begin our itinerary at the Torre Porta di Maggio, one of the many access gates to the village of Monte Castello di Vibio. This gate is named so because it faces southeast and thus the spring winds, and it is the only one remaining as a testament to its glorious past. The crenellations on the tower are indeed typically Guelph - that is, flat - because the town was a papal fief. Today, the Torre Porta di Maggio houses the municipal historical archive which preserves important documents related to the history of Monte Castello since the 15th century.

Once past the gate, we find ourselves needing to choose between two roads; we start with the one on the left to reach Piazza Garibaldi, where lies the Church of Santa Illuminata.

The Church of Santa Illuminata in Monte Castello di Vibio was built on a previous church dating back to the 15th century. Inside, the Holy Crucifix, a wooden sculpture from the 1400s, is venerated, which is said to have worked miracles on multiple occasions.

Continuing on Via Roma, we arrive at the Bell Tower. Once, there was a bell tower adjacent to the Church of San Rocco, located in Piazza Petrini. However, this church was demolished, leading to the decision to erect a new bell tower in a central position in the village, along with its monument to the fallen. The Bell Tower was restored in 1985 and is exactly as we see it today.

From this point, characteristic alleys and corners wind their way, where it's pleasant to get lost, imagining being catapulted back in time. Wandering through the alleys of Monte Castello di Vibio, you inevitably arrive at Piazza Vittorio Emanuele, but for the inhabitants of Monte Castello, this place is simply 'the square.'

The square has always been the venue for life. Political life, economic life, religious life - everything converges in this place that has listened to happy and less happy stories regarding every single citizen for centuries. In the center of Piazza Vittorio Emanuele, there is a 16th-century cistern-well, reconstructed in the 1980s after being destroyed by order of the Podestà. Some parts have remained intact, such as the iron grating dated 1982. Piazza Vittorio Emanuele is also a balcony overlooking Umbria, from here one can admire a wonderful panorama over the valley and glimpse the beautiful Todi in the distance.

In this square stands imposing the Church of Saints James and Philip, completed in 1851. The church has a rectangular plan divided into three naves. The central nave ends in a semicircular apse, while on the opposite side we find the choir illuminated by a window with decorated stained glass depicting the life of Christ. At the center of the church stands the main altar with statues of Saints Philip and James on either side. In the upper part is the image of the Madonna dei Portenti. This image depicts the Madonna with Child and St. Charles Borromeo. The name "Madonna dei Portenti" was given by the citizens devoted to her due to her miraculous virtues.

Upon exiting the church, one can climb the stairs on Via Pellegrini leading to the Municipal Hall of Monte Castello. Not much is known about the Municipal Palace of Monte Castello di Vibio, only that it was renovated in 1982 without altering its original architecture. In the Council Room of the Municipal Palace, there are two wall plaques with inscriptions dating back to the 14th and 17th centuries.

Now let's continue our visit by descending towards Via Roma, searching for more sights to see in Monte Castello di Vibio. We arrive at Piazza della Concordia, where the most important sight to see is undoubtedly the Concordia Theater, the smallest theater in the world. To tell its story, we must go back a few centuries, specifically to the Age of Enlightenment. We are in the years when ideas of renewal began to spread across Europe and even in the small town of Monte Castello di Vibio. The ideals of freedom that came with the Napoleonic era led to a need among some noble families in Monte Castello to create a place to spend evenings enjoying music, poetry, concerts, and performances. This need birthed the desire to build a theater suited to a small town. It was in 1808 and thanks to the representatives of some local families, the Concordia Theater, the smallest theater in the world, was established.

It was inaugurated in 1809 in a location where yesterday there was a three-story building and where today a jewel of Napoleonic culture is preserved. 200 square meters is the space in which all the areas of the theater are distributed: service rooms, auditorium, two tiers of boxes each with eleven loges, the stage, the dressing room, the storage room, and a meeting room. A true gem that has attracted people from all surrounding towns and that today shares the fame of Monte Castello di Vibio with the world.

The interior of the Concordia Theater is entirely made of oak and cork oak. There are two tiers of boxes that originally belonged to the owning families, called caratanti, as the division was in carats. There are a total of 99 seats distributed between 37 armchairs in the auditorium and 62 in the boxes. Yet, it retains all the characteristics of a grand 19th-century theater.

Regarding the reconstruction of the history of the Concordia Theater, some dates related to its renovation are missing, but what is certain is that in 1892, the young Luigi Agretti, only 14 years old, frescoed the vaulted ceiling of the theater, decorated the boxes and the meeting room, previously started by his father, Cesare Agretti. The ceiling is painted in tempera and aims to depict a fake curtain that covers the entire perimeter. In the center, the coat of arms of Monte Castello di Vibio is depicted, supported by three putti.

To Cesare Agretti, we owe the decorations of the central stage depicting two hands shaking, a symbol of the Concordia for which the theater is named, and the backdrop portraying Monte Castello di Vibio.

Countless performances have taken place at the small Concordia Theater since 1912: comedies, film screenings, operettas, balls, and dance parties. Subsequently, activities ceased only to resume in 1941, but once again due to the deterioration of the building, a decree of uninhabitability was issued. It was during this period that the owners of the theater decided to refound the original society under the name of Accademia dei Soci del Teatro della Concordia in order to reopen the theater. In the 1950s, the theater was reopened, but the following year, it began a decline that would last for about 30 years. Only in 1993, after restoration and several interventions, was the theater returned to the municipality of Monte Castello di Vibio and to all its citizens.

Today, the activities of the Concordia Theater are fully active and offer a fairly varied calendar, thanks especially to the work done by volunteers of the association. The theater is open on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays at the following times:

from April to October, 10:00 AM - 12:30 PM and 4:00 PM - 6:30 PM;

from November to March, 3:00 PM - 5:30 PM.

In July and August, the Concordia Theater is also open Monday to Friday at the following times:

July, 10:00 AM - 12:30 PM;

August, 10:00 AM - 12:30 PM and 4:00 PM - 6:30 PM.

The guided tour of the Concordia Theater involves a contribution of your choice.

For information on the entire theatrical programming, we recommend visiting the official website: www.teatropiccolo.it

Among the local products of Monte Castello di Vibio, we are not surprised to find extra virgin olive oil. Monte Castello is indeed located on the DOP Umbria extra virgin olive oil road, in an area rich in olive groves. Another local specialty is scottadito lamb. This consists of lamb chops that must be eaten so hot, and with hands, that one burns their fingers, hence the name. This specialty is mainly found during the Feast of the Madonna delle Carceri.

The Feast of the Madonna delle Carceri in Monte Castello di Vibio has become a tradition since 1971, celebrated every year on July 2nd. During the festival, outdoor performances, games, and much more are organized. An event that involves not just the residents of Monte Castello but also many tourists.

Before leaving the wonderful village of Monte Castello di Vibio, we recommend visiting the small hamlet of Doglio, an ancient castle where only about 88 people live. Doglio is located on a wooded hill at 480 meters above sea level, but is only a few kilometers from Monte Castello, making it worth a visit.