Mede: Castle, Church and the Palio d'la Ciaramèla
Accommodation in Mede
Castle, Church and Local History
Mede brings together a castle, a church and local history within a compact area. In the historic centre, Castello Sangiuliani and the adjacent Chiesa dei Santi Marziano e Martino are at the heart of a development that dates back to the 12th century: since the 12th century, both buildings have been one of the economic, political and religious centres of the Lomellina. This gives you compact access to several historical layers, from medieval art to later structural additions.
Castello Sangiuliani in the Historic Centre
Castello Sangiuliani is the only surviving one of Mede’s three castles. Parts of its 14th- and 15th-century walls are still visible in the historic centre. An elegant loggia from a later period and a battlemented tower are also among its defining features. Admission to Castello Sangiuliani is free. If you would like to discover architecture not only through dates, but also through visible walls, a loggia and a battlemented tower, this is a particular highlight of your visit.
Chiesa di San Marziano: Gothic Forms and Fresco
The Chiesa di San Marziano acquired its present form in 1390. The church also preserves a 13th-century fresco of San Marziano. This gives culturally minded travellers concrete points of connection with Mede’s architectural and art-historical heritage.
Accessible Church Access
The car park and entrance to the Chiesa di San Marziano are accessible for wheelchair users. If you depend on these two accessible points, you can take them specifically into account when planning your visit to Mede.
The Palio d'la Ciaramèla
The Palio d'la Ciaramèla takes place on the second Sunday in September and includes games, parades and reconstructions of historical periods throughout the town’s built-up centre. During the Palio, the ten town districts J'Angial, Marcanton, San Roc, Cruson, Pasquà, San Banardin, Piasa Giaratta, Roca Bianca, Busch and Gab compete against one another in the local game of lippa. Locally, the game of lippa is called “ciaramèla” and takes place at the Stadio Comunale. If you would like to visit Mede on this date, the town’s built-up centre, as well as the stadium, is therefore part of the event’s setting.
The Ugo Fantelli Collection
The Ugo Fantelli archaeological and natural history collection comprises around 1,000 objects. It is divided into a natural history section and an archaeological and ethnographic section. In Mede, natural history, archaeological and ethnographic perspectives therefore come together in a single collection. If you do not want to limit your stay to architecture, this collection provides another way to explore the themes of nature, the past and local culture.
Further places for planning your trip: Broni, San Paolo, Cava Manara, Montebello Della Battaglia, Montescano, Ponte Nizza, Zerbolò and Sannazzaro De' Burgondi.
For the broader travel overview: Pavia.
