Why is this village in the Marche called "the town of madmen"? The story is crazier than you think

In the heart of the Marche, in the province of Ancona, stands Corinaldo, a splendid village (elected the most beautiful in Italy in 2007) which deserves to be visited at least once in a lifetime. In a strategic position on top of a hill and surrounded by fields of sunflowers and vineyards, it is characterized by a typically medieval and Renaissance urban layout.

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Defended by an intact circle of walls, among the best preserved in the Marche, Corinaldo arouses curiosity not only for its well-preserved and well-kept historic center but also for the many legends that circulate regarding its bizarre inhabitants, so much so that this village has earned the nickname “city of Fools”.

The story of Scuretto

Don’t miss a visit to Scuretto’s house on whose facade a plaque reports the following story:

“This is the “house” of Scuretto, born Gaetano, shoemaker, simple man and excellent drinker. His son, who emigrated to America, regularly sent him money to build a house in Corinaldo, where he could one day return to live. Scuretto drank the money regularly in the taverns of the village, until his son, becoming suspicious, asked for a photo of the house. Scuretto then had only the facade built, complete with house number, and he had himself photographed from the front, as if looking out of one of the windows. The house, or rather the facade, is still here today, unfinished, also because the money no longer arrived.”

The legend of the Pozzo della Polenta

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On the top of the Piaggia steps there is the Pozzo della Polenta, one of the most characteristic places of Corinaldo, linked to one of the oldest legends of the city. It is said that one winter night a tired farmer rested at the edge of the well but, when he woke up, he realized that the heavy bag of polenta he was carrying had fallen right into the well. He then tried to climb inside and, from then on, no one saw him again. For a long time the women of the town said that the man was at the bottom of the well eating polenta and it seems that every now and then someone even dropped some sausages down to make him change the menu!

Since then the inhabitants of Corinaldo have been nicknamed the “polentari” and from this story the Contesa della Polenta was also born, a re-enactment that takes place in Corinaldo every year in July.

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The legend of the fig cannon

Legend has it that the “fig cannon” was built, as the name suggests, from a fig trunk to attack Montenovo (now Ostra Vetere). Once finished, a team of men carried it to the walls and prepared to use it.

7 people held the cannon while the leader set fire to the fuse. After the roar it was discovered that they were all dead, except the leader who miraculously saved himself and exclaimed:

“Damn, what a bang! The cannon did its duty. Only seven of us died! Who knows how many we will have killed in Montenovo!”

The madmen of Corinaldo

In the book “I matti di Corinaldo” Mario Carafòli, based on the memoirs of Cavalier Nicola Bolognini Bordi, listed a series of “particular” characters who lived in the town in different eras.

For example, he tells of Mr. Atavico, a hunting enthusiast, who woke up at one in the morning, looked at the sky and went around the city to inform hunters about the weather; of Mr. Gnecco, always drunk, who one day threw himself naked into the fountain and the carabinieri kept him in prison for 2 days or of Pietrino Del Mosciuto who wrote a letter to Francesco Crispi, then Prime Minister, protesting because he had declared war without consulting him.

Finally, there is Paolo Colombaroni, nicknamed Farinello, who ran away to enlist with Garibaldi but even once he returned home he continued to behave like a soldier by walking around in a red shirt even when he was carrying sacks of flour. For this he was made fun of by everyone.

It is no coincidence that the Festa dei Folli takes place in Corinaldo, from 21 to 25 April each year, during which it is possible to obtain the “Fool’s Passport”.

The Festa dei Folli, today more alive than ever

Now in its thirteenth edition, the Festa dei Folli continues to attract thousands of visitors from all over Italy every year, transforming alleys and squares into a huge open-air stage for three days between street theatre, contemporary circus, live music and artisan markets. The most awaited moment remains the Crazy Run, the non-competitive race open to all ages in which participants are overwhelmed by clouds of natural and biodegradable colored powders. Also a great protagonist is the TSO – Find, Discover, Observe, a sort of treasure hunt among the enigmas of the historic center, designed to help you discover Corinaldo by playing. And of course the fun ritual of the Crazy Passport is never missing, which symbolically allows anyone to become part of the community of “crazy people”.

Saint Maria Goretti

As we said at the beginning, Corinaldo is also a town of Saints. In fact, Maria Goretti was born here, Marietta as they called her in the village, born on 16 October 1890 to a very poor family and canonized by the Catholic Church on 24 June 1950.

She was only 12 years old when a young man attempted to rape her and eventually stabbed her repeatedly with an ice pick, leaving her dying. Maria will die the following day in hospital but not before asking her mother to forgive her killer.