UAn enthusiastic crowd welcomed the procession of Charles V, which paraded through the streets of the center of Cava de' Tirreni last Saturday evening.
Five hundred extras reenacted the entry of Emperor Charles V into Cava in 1535. Two hundred, including actors and extras, then gave life to the theatrical production “Lo Imperatore a La Cava”.
There was no shortage of surprises, including a papier-mâché rhinoceros that wanted to recall the enterprise of the Habsburg emperor. Charles V, in fact, visited the City of La Cava on November 22, 1535 on the return journey from the expedition of Tunis, where he had emerged victorious from the clash with the corsair Barbarossa. In Cava he was welcomed with all honors, receiving as a gift a golden basin containing 3 thousand scudi, as well as two keys to the city: one gold and the other silver. On that occasion Charles V reconfirmed Cava's status as a state city and all the privileges already granted by previous sovereigns.
"This edition, widely recognized for its quality, marks the conclusion of a significant cycle. At the same time, it inaugurates a new phase of the event, destined to grow and transform with the same energy and participation that have distinguished it so far. A cultural project deeply linked to the figure of Charles V, which this year acquires an even more significant meaning because it is associated with the 50th anniversary of the historical-cultural association Pistonieri-Archibugieri Santa Maria del Rovo – explained Giuseppe Apicella, artistic director of the event – The historical reenactment of the Imperial Procession of Charles V is the starting point for a project we have been working on for some time: nominating the arquebus as an intangible heritage of UNESCO and as a symbol of identity for a community that no longer recognizes it as an instrument of war”.
The event, now in its eighth edition, is organized by the Pistonieri-Archibugieri Santa Maria del Rovo historical-cultural association, with the patronage of the Municipality of Cava de' Tirreni, the Campania Region, the Province of Salerno and ENIT spa.
Nomination of the arquebus as a UNESCO heritage site
The historical-cultural Association Pistonieri-Archibugieri Santa Maria del Rovo – which this year celebrates the 50th anniversary of its foundation – is promoting the candidacy of the arquebus shot as an intangible heritage of UNESCO with the project “Fire! Pistonieri armi di valori”. The arquebus, a muzzle-loading weapon, represents the central and distinctive element of the historical-folkloristic scenario of the City of Cava de' Tirreni, where it has found a ritual and celebratory use unique in Italy. Wielded by the arquebusiers (or pistoniers), the arquebus is the undisputed protagonist of the solemn celebrations of the SS. Sacramento, from which the religious and cultural identity of the groups gathered in the Association of Trombonieri, Sbandieratori e Cavalieri di Cava de' Tirreni originates.
The blunderbuss evolved from the blunderbuss, a similar weapon but with a shorter barrel that flared towards the muzzle, with a mouthpiece designed to facilitate night-time loading, avoiding gunpowder dispersion. This variant has taken on different names depending on the Italian regions, but in Cava de' Tirreni it is mainly known as the “pistone”, a name that recalls the gesture of “pounding” the charge inside the barrel. The piston, with an average weight of about 12-15 kilograms, is loaded with compressed black powder using a cylindrical rod called a “spolvera”. Today, the explosion occurs thanks to a primer capsule containing mercury fulminate, which allows for rapid and safe ignition. In this way, the blunderbuss and its subsequent transformations continue to pass on a centuries-old tradition, becoming not only military instruments, but symbolic and identifying for the entire Cava community.
The cultural project “Cava 1535 – The entrance of Emperor Charles V” is organized by the Historical-Cultural Association Pistonieri-Archibugieri Santa Maria del Rovo, with the patronage of the Municipality of Cava de' Tirreni, the Province of Salerno, the Campania Region and ENIT spa. It also benefits from the support of the Ministry of Culture. It is included in the Cooperation Network of the European itineraries of Emperor Charles V.
Article published by Gustavo Gentile on June 5, 2025, at 15:44 PM
Comments (1)
The Charles V event in Cava was really interesting and brought a lot of people. Historical reenactment is a good thing for the local culture, but I wonder if a papier-mâché rhinoceros is really necessary.