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Overview
In January, Novoli celebrates the days of fire with the impressive Fòcara, a grand bonfire that is the highlight of the celebrations in honour of Saint Anthony the Abbot.
As part of the celebrations for Saint Anthony the Abbot in Novoli, every year a ritual with ancient origins is observed, which continues to captivate young and old alike: the lighting of the "fòcara", a large bonfire approximately 25 metres high and 20 metres in diameter.
For over three hundred years, the Fòcara of Novoli has been a great monument to rural art, skilfully constructed by volunteers and master builders using thousands of bundles of vine shoots recovered from the pruning of vineyards.
The bonfire is lit on 16 January using fireworks and is left to burn throughout the night, celebrated by thousands of people dancing to the rhythm of traditional music from Salento.
The sacred fire that is passed down and revitalised through the devotion of the people of Novoli, enhancing the identity of a popular tradition that fuels the network of "Mediterranean Cities of Fire" in the Apulia region.
