Gubbio Christmas Tree, the biggest Christmas Tree in the world

Gubbio (PG) and the Christmas are a marriage that lasts from 1981, since on the slopes of Mount Ingino the eugubini decided to "build", in honor of the Patron Saint Ubaldo, an over 650-meters high Christmas tree with more than 250 green points of light, 300 multicolored lights and a 1.000 m² star on top of the tree designed by 200 lights. Such an achievement that could not go unnoticed, and in 1991 it entered in the Guinness Book of World Records as “The World's Largest Christmas Tree”.

L'Albero di Natale più grande del mondo (The biggest Christmas Tree in the world) every year is switched on the eve of the Immaculate Conception, December 7th. Remains active throughout the holiday season, until the day of Epiphany, January 6th, or slightly beyond.
Many important personalities (except the first mountings, from 1981 to 1987, ed) as the editions go by have had the honor to turn on the Gubbio Christmas Tree (also called Mount Ingino Christmas Tree). For example in 2011 to press the button was Pope Benedict XVI.

And the 2011 (although in 2005 the people of Gubbio living abroad started virtually the lights via the Internet) is a pivotal year for the ignition mode, which it opening up to the technology: the Pope did not push "physically" the button in the city of the Ceri. He did it with a tablet by the rooms of the Vatican, sending a message to all the eugubini and not rushed in the 40 Martiri Square, where the Municipality had set up a giant screen. But also to all the faithful of the world, as the images and words of the lightining ceremony is transmitted over the web & TV.

For more information, please visit the official website of the Albero di Gubbio alberodigubbio.com.

The 2012 edition will see to turn on the Largest Christmas Tree in the World, with the same modalities of 2011, by the President of the Italian Republic Giorgio Napolitano. At first, as day had been chosen December 5th, 2012, given the numerous and previous institutional commitments of the Head of State. On November 27th, 2012, instead, Pasquale Cascella, advisor to the President of the Republic for the press and communications, announced to the “Albero di Natale più grande del mondo” committee  the availability of Napolitano for the traditional date of December 7th.
While he is in the presidential apartments, the President will be virtually present in Gubbio via a video link edited by the staff of the Quirinale. And just as Benedict XVI, he will send a message to those present in the square and to all those who attend the Internet & RAI live streaming.

Fabrizio Galeazzi