The Cribs of Urbino

The crib is a symbol of Christmas-time. And especially in Italy there are great artists for creating nativity scenes. It is a special art.

So when I was in Urbino it happened that I entered in a church and found a few cribs exposed.

Cribs are not that simple crib with just a stable, a few animals and Mary and Joseph and Christ in the cradle. A crib in Italy means very often a whole town in thumbnail. With everything imaginable. Domestic life, shops, animals, children playing in the streets, monuments – and all in its little perfection.

The cribs in the church are beautiful little examples for this art. I didn’t see the most famous here in the Oratory of San Giuseppe, the one of Federico Brandani and from 16th century with figures in lifesize and very naturalistic. But I already enjoyed these art works.

To me the little ones are more interesting. Because they show Urbino in the middle age.

I know the cribs in Naples of course as I am home there. But nevertheless they are very different.

The nativity scene is also called somewhere manger scene. The first scene was maybe created by Saint Francis of Assisi in 1223. Today one can see these cribs everywhere, at home under the Christmas tree, in shops and shopping malls, in churches… Very popular are also the ones with life figures, persons and animals but which don’t escape controversy for a few reasons.

I enjoyed the cribs or nativity scenes a lot as I could see also Urbino in its splendor in the middle age and how the life was going then.

Until 6th January there are the ‘Vie dei Presepi’, and one can see a lot of cribs in the Medieval streets of the town. It is worth to experience something once in Italy during Christmas time!


Urbino, Le Marche/Italy:

For further information:
UNESCO Heritage website for Urbino


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