Presepi dal Mondo – Palazzo Gran Guardia Verona

A Global Collection of Nativity Scenes

Nativity Scenes from Around the World at Palazzo Gran Guardia in Verona is one of the richest nativity exhibitions in Italy. Every year during the Christmas season, the magnificent seventeenth-century palace on Piazza Bra hosts an extraordinary collection of nativity scenes from all continents. The exhibition presents hundreds of nativity scenes made with the most diverse techniques and materials: from Neapolitan terracotta to South American ceramics, from carved Tyrolean wood to African fabric, from Japanese paper to Murano glass. Each nativity scene tells the story of the Nativity through the culture and aesthetics of its country of origin.

A Journey Around the World

The exhibition route is organized by geographical areas, allowing visitors to take a journey around the world through different interpretations of the nativity scene. Multilingual informational panels tell the story and nativity traditions of each country.

The Palace and Christmas in Verona

The Palazzo della Gran Guardia, overlooking Piazza Bra opposite the Arena, is itself an architectural work of art. The exhibition is open every day with continuous hours. Verona at Christmas also offers Christmas markets in Piazza dei Signori, an ice skating rink, and a comet star on the Arena. Accessible from Lake Garda in 30 minutes.

Update: in the 2025-26 edition the exhibition moved to Palazzo del Capitanio, as the Gran Guardia housed the Winter Olympics committee, with tickets at €8 full and €7 reduced. Venue, dates and prices for 2026-27 have not been announced yet: check comune.verona.it.