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Polenta Well — Corinaldo
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Historical Sites 📍 Corinaldo, Italy 153 views

Polenta Well

Placed at the center of the street "la piaggia", was built by the tyrant of Corinaldo Antonello Accattabriga, in the second half of 400 to supply the well of polenta to the neighboring houses, was later buried with the restructuring of the staircase in the early years of 900. It...

Photo · Renee S.

Polenta Well — Corinaldo, Italy.

Location
Corinaldo
Type
Historical Sites
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About Polenta Well

Polenta Well - Corinaldo | Secret World Trip Planner

Placed at the center of the street "la piaggia", was built by the tyrant of Corinaldo Antonello Accattabriga, in the second half of 400 to supply the well of polenta to the neighboring houses, was later buried with the restructuring of the staircase in the early years of 900. It was rebuilt in 1980 to set the scene of the Contesa del Polenta well that every year commemorates the fall of the sack of flour in the well. It is an old rumor that the people of Corinth used to make "polenta in the well", the truth is that in times long gone, a man climbed the beautiful, long, staircase of the town (Via Piaggia) with a sack of corn flour on his shoulders. When he reached the well, exhausted, he put the sack on the edge to catch his breath. Out of bad luck, the sack fell inside the well. The poor man in an attempt to retrieve it fell into the well, this did not go unnoticed by the gossips of the country, who did not see him resurface, began to say that he was eating polenta in the well, some swore they had seen throw even pork sausages in the well. The rumor that wanted to pass the people of Corinth as "picchiatelli" and "polentari", soon crossed the borders of the entire region. From "picchiatelli" to genial the step is short.

Polenta Well - Corinaldo | Secret World Trip Planner

The story soon became the starting point for the annual historical commemoration in costume of the sixteenth century "La Contesa del pozzo della Polenta" that now in its thirtieth edition, takes place on the third Sunday in July and is the oldest historical commemoration in the province of Ancona.

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A perfect day in Corinaldo

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  1. 01
    Morning
    Polenta Well
    📍 Corinaldo
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  2. 02
    Afternoon
    📍 0.1 km away
  3. 03
    Evening
    📍 15.4 km away

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Frequently Asked Questions

The Polenta Well was built in the second half of the 1400s by Antonello Accattabriga, the tyrant of Corinaldo, to supply water to neighboring houses on Via Piaggia. It was buried during staircase restructuring in the early 1900s but was rebuilt in 1980, and its name comes from a local legend about a man who dropped a sack of flour into the well and supposedly fell in while trying to retrieve it.
The best time to experience the Polenta Well is on the third Sunday in July, when the annual historical commemoration 'La Contesa del Polenta' takes place in 16th-century costume. This is now in its thirtieth edition and is the oldest historical commemoration in the province of Ancona.
According to local legend, a man climbing the long Via Piaggia staircase with a sack of corn flour became exhausted and rested the sack on the well's edge. When the sack fell into the well, he attempted to retrieve it but also fell in; the townspeople, not seeing him resurface, jokingly claimed he was eating polenta in the well, and the story eventually spread throughout the entire region.
The Polenta Well is located at the center of the street called 'la piaggia' (Via Piaggia) in Corinaldo. This long staircase street is central to the town and provides the historic setting for the well and its associated legend.
La Contesa del Polenta is an annual historical commemoration held on the third Sunday in July that celebrates the legend of the flour sack falling into the well, featuring participants dressed in 16th-century costumes. Now in its thirtieth year, it is the oldest historical reenactment in the province of Ancona and offers visitors an authentic cultural experience rooted in local folklore and tradition.

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