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