Every year, on the evening of September 3, Viterbo switches off its lights and holds its breath: one hundred men — the Facchini di Santa Rosa — lift the Macchina di Santa Rosa onto their shoulders, a glowing tower almost 30 metres tall and weighing 5 tonnes, and carry it at a run for a kilometre through the alleys of the historic centre. This is no procession: it is one of the most breathtaking spectacles in Italy, inscribed by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage of humanity in 2013.

What is the Macchina di Santa Rosa?

The transport is Viterbo's tribute to its patron saint, Santa Rosa, and has been repeated for centuries. The current Machine is called Dies Natalis: a Gothic spire of lightweight metal and fibreglass, studded with statues and live flames, which at night looks like a cathedral on the move. The facchini hoist it onto their shoulders and carry it along the route between two walls of spectators, pausing in the squares before a final climb in total darkness, guided only by the commands of their leader, the capofacchino.

When and where: September 3, 2026

The transport takes place, as always, on the evening of September 3 at 9 pm, along the traditional route through the medieval heart of Viterbo up to the sanctuary of Santa Rosa. And there is one more reason to come this year: the Machine is already assembled and on display in the San Sisto quarter from July, so anyone staying in Tuscia over the summer can admire it up close well before the festival.

Practical tips

Arrive early: the best spots along the route are claimed hours before the Machine passes. Pick a spot and stay there: the Machine passes only once and the crowd makes it hard to move around. Have dinner before or after: the centre is full of taverns, and during the festival days the atmosphere is a reason to come in itself — festive lights, market stalls and the medieval quarter of San Pellegrino at its liveliest.

Who the Facchini are

The hundred men who carry the Machine are not extras: they are the Sodalizio dei Facchini di Santa Rosa, a brotherhood you join by selection — strength trials included — where a place under the Machine is often handed down from father to son. The white uniform with the red sash and the "ciuffo" (the leather headgear protecting the head under the load) is an honour dress: for a Viterbese, being a facchino is among the most serious things in life. Before the transport they receive a blessing "in articulo mortis" — because carrying five tonnes uphill in the dark has never been a game.

At a glance — 2026 transport

  • When: 3 September, 9 pm.
  • Where: Viterbo's historic centre, from the starting point up to the sanctuary of Santa Rosa (~1 km uphill).
  • Recognition: UNESCO intangible heritage since 2013 (the network of Italy's great shoulder-borne Machines).
  • The current Machine: "Dies Natalis", almost 30 metres, 5 tonnes — already on display in the San Sisto quarter since July.
  • How early to arrive: the best spots fill up by late afternoon; the Machine passes only once — pick your place and stay.

The perfect pairing: Viterbo by day

If you come for the Machine, arrive in Viterbo in the early afternoon: the medieval quarter of San Pellegrino — the largest of its kind in Europe — and the Palace of the Popes fill the day beautifully, and on 3 September the city is electric from the morning. If you stay longer, complete the picture with the Popes' Thermal Baths (the next-day soak is well earned) and the gardens of Villa Lante in Bagnaia, ten minutes from the centre.

Where to stay for the Macchina di Santa Rosa

Hotels in Viterbo fill up well in advance. Villa Vacanze Valentina is in Bassano in Teverina, about 25 minutes away by car: on the evening of the transport you reach the city with ease, and after the spectacle you return to the silence of the countryside — waking up the next morning by the pool instead of in the traffic. Discover our holiday home with pool or message us on WhatsApp about September dates. And for every other feast in the area, season by season, there is our calendar of events and festivals in Tuscia.

Photo: Dietrich Kuhlgatz, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.