Marostica, Italy

The other day on Aarons day off, we went to Marostica. It is a walled in city about 8 minutes from our house.

"Marostica: It is one of the best-preserved and important medieval structures in Veneto. Situated in the piedmont area in the province of Vicenza, Marostica is internationally renowned for the Living Chess Game

Marostica Province Vicenza
From the Pausolino hill, the majestic city wall connects the Upper Castle (Castello Superiore) to the Lower Castle (Castello Inferiore), and from the panoramic path that connects them you can enjoy an extraordinary view.
Both built starting from 1312, the masses of these two constructions seem to watch the old own centre of Marostica, a village of fine and elegant beauty.
But the heart of the town is the choreographic and suggestive main square dominated by the Lower Castle: here, in the month of September of even years, knights and chevaliers, archers, dames, maids of honour, pageboys, bishops and pawns parade together to renew the fascinating XV-century challenge between the nobles Rinaldo d'Angarano and Vieri da Vallonara, both in love with the beautiful Lionora, the daughter of the Lord of the Marostica Castle.
The chess game with living characters is a faithful and accurate reconstruction of the life style of the time and employs over three hundred persons dressed up in traditional costumes. The chess pieces are moved in the square by international chess champions. The feeling you get when taking part in this event is like being projected into a magic medieval world.
The splendid Lower Castle today has become the site of the town hall, where you may visit the richly frescoed Council Hall (Sala del Consiglio), the Arms Hall (Sala delle Armi) and the Governor's Hall, with a permanent exhibition of the traditional costumes used for the Living Chess Game.
The town is also the seat of a prestigious international cultural event called "Umoristi a Marostica" [Humorists in Marostica] that attracts hundreds of artists from all over the world. Still in Septembers, but in odd years, when there is no living chess game, the town is crowded for the International chess Festival, a big challenge between the best players in the world.
But there is another event that is held every year between the end of May and the beginning of June: many acres of land are coloured in bright red by the cherries of Marostica, considered among the best cherries in Italy, the only ones that have obtained the IGP mark. "(thanks to: THIS SITE)