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11:11am August 13, 2013

odditiesoflife:

The Flowering of the Santa Maria del Monte

The small town of Caltagirone on the island of Sicily in Italy has an annual tradition with its most famous landmark. Built in 1608, the Staircase of Santa Maria del Monte has 142-steps which are each decorated with a different ceramic, using styles and figures derived from the millennial tradition of pottery making.

Each year, during the La Scala Flower Festival, about two thousands potted plants and flowers of different shades and colors are arranged on the historic staircase to create one grand design. The La Scala Flower Festival is held as a tribute to Our Lady of Conadomini, the patron and protector of the city of Caltagirone. This year, the floral design decorated the staircase for almost a full month so that visitors could admire the grandeur of its scale. Created by Angelo Murgo, it was comprised of 2,000 plants and flowers which included geranium, marigold and boxwood.

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