The shops, the figurines of shepherds and mangers of the picturesque street of the historic center of Naples
Via San Gregorio Armeno it is famous throughout the world for many workshops dedicated to the ancient art of Neapolitan crib with its strictly terracotta statuettes. The famous street of the nativity artisans, at any time of the year it is possible to experience the magic Christmas atmosphere, thanks to their tireless creativity and originality in transforming real characters that stand out for news reports in figurines to enrich their crib with a cute touch of topicality.
Describe the variety of shops, small shops and stalls that crowd Via San Gregorio Armeno is not easy: it is amazed and delighted by this maxi colorful crib in the center of Naples.
For Neapolitan families, before building the crib, a stop in San Gregorio Armeno is mandatory. Here, in fact, you can find pretty much everything to the crib: from cork or cardboard houses in various sizes, the windmills or waterfalls, by the statues of shepherds terracotta hand-painted 30 cm tall ones with dresses sewn fabric tailored. The fisherman, the washerwoman, the butcher, Benito, the pastor of wonder: each figure around the Holy Family has its own meaning. Yes, because the Neapolitan nativity scene tells a story, a story of faith and tradition that the artisans of San Gregorio Armeno handed down for generations.
But next to the real works of art, you are also nothing short of bizarre characters, denoting the imagination and the irony of the Neapolitans: the statue, or rather, the political caricature or now become one of the moment VIP classics on bancaralle via San Gregorio Armeno. Some artisans have specialized in making these shepherds sui generis and not just a character rooms in the news, it creates its terracotta pastor, often emphasizing some details related to the event that made him famous, for good or bad. New this year for example, is the statue of Gonzalo Higuain in the role of Judas, “the traitor”, a message in no uncertain terms by Napoli fans who will never forgive the passage of the hangnail to Juventus, as they have not forgotten Maradona, omnipresent among the statues of the way of the cribs.
Young and old alike are captivated by the vibrancy that makes this street of the historic center of Naples, where you breathe art, culture and authentic Neapolitan. Wonderful during the Christmas season, but equally fascinating, even during other months of the year, when you can admire the craftsmen at work and mold the clay to draw out some kind of new masterpiece.
C. G.
