The mighty Palazzo dei Consoli, the fulcrum of civil life from the Middle Ages onwards, is also the seat and symbol of the Mercato delle Gaite, the historical re-enactment that every year at the end of June dresses the entire village in ancient medieval clothes.
The historical re-enactment is inspired by the ancient medieval division of Bevagna into four quarters called Gaite, from the Lombard watha, meaning 'guard': San Giovanni, Santa Maria, San Giorgio and San Pietro. The four historical quarters of the city, called 'guaite o gaite', compete in contests of crafts, gas-tronomy, archery and the medieval market, offering the public the chance to immerse themselves in a great collective tale.
On this occasion, the daily life of the inhabitants of the village in the period between 1250 and 1350 is reconstructed with historical relevance and a wealth of details: the ancient medieval work-shops reopen their doors, showing the techniques and tools of the past and revealing the secrets of ancient trades such as paper-making, wax-making, painting and silk-making.
The art of brick-making, hemp and wax processing, the domestic tradition of loom-made cloth, the potter's a trade and blacksmith's trade, the production of parchment paper, and coin-making are brought to life with a realistic reconstruction of the economy of the time.
Throughout the year, it is possible to visit the Circuito dei Mestieri Medievali (Circuit of Medieval Crafts), which is made up of four crafts: Papermaking, Painting, Ceramics and Silkmaking. www.ilmercatodellegaite.it
