Infiorata di Genzano, carpet of flowers for Corpus Domini

The infiorata of Genzano for the Corpus Domini is a spectacular carpet of flowers with the colors of nature: the yellow of the broom, the blue of the thistles, the red of the carnations, the green of the myrtle and wild fennel. The event involves meticulous preparation, which takes place in several phases:

1. the creation of sketches with religious subjects, with decorative motifs;
2. the gathering of flowers and plant essences;
3. their delimbing, that is the separation of the petals from the corolla and their preservation in the cool caves of the municipality;
4. the ground drawings on Saturday evening, along the central via Belardi, dating back to the seventeenth century, and the actual placing of the petals, which begins on Sunday morning and ends in the early afternoon.

What makes the Infiorata of Genzano unique is the vastness of the surface: about 2000 square meters of pavement transform into a triumph of colors and scents, and frame the traditional evening Procession of Corpus Domini. 

The Infiorata of Genzano ends with the so-called spallamento, when children, running from the staircase of the church of Santa Maria, destroy the petal pictures.

Over the centuries, the Infiorata of Genzano, originally a religious-popular event dedicated to “He who passes”, has also become an artistic and cultural event, attracting crowds of visitors from Italy and abroad to the town.

Among many, famous figures have also visited, such as Hans Christian Andersen, Massimo d’Azeglio, Nikolaj Gogol, Garibaldi and others.

Flowers and essences used today in the Genzano Infiorata