Artistic Nativity Crib in San Romano | Montopoli in Val d’Arno

The San Romano Artistic Crib is set up every year from 8 December in the cloister of the Sanctuary of Divine Grace, in Piazza Santa Chiara.

The Sanctuary, dedicated to the Madonna who appeared to San Romano, has been enlarged several times, starting in 1515, by the Medici, who were so devoted to the Virgin and frequented the place on their travels from Florence to Pisa, that they even built a staircase bearing the family crest.

Since 1995, the crib has been set up outside, first in the garden and now in the cloister of the convent of the Franciscan Friars Minor, becoming ever larger and more meticulous in its details. After a good 96 years, it has now become famous not only in the neighbouring villages, but throughout Tuscany, with its 300 square metres of exhibition space, two months of work to prepare it and an average of 20,000 visitors every year.