Italy: Riviera home to a giant Nativity scene

Rome: Manarola , one of the Cinque Terre hilltop villages on the Italian Riviera, is home to one of the largest Nativity scenes in the world.

Every Christmas this spectacular Nativity scene is illuminated with 17,000 lights, powered by eight kilometres of electicity cables, in a magical custom dating back to 1976.

The installation was first created by retired railway worker Mario Andreoli who, aged 93, continues to supervise the annual tradition.

The Nativity scene features around 250 life-sized figures, including shepherds and fishermen as well as animals, measuring between one and three metres in height.

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The installation was lit up on 8 December, the feast of the Immaculate Conception, and will remain illuminated until 30 January 2022.

Cinque Terre is a rugged coastline in Italy’s Liguria region, comprising the five villages of Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore, all of which are connected by a series of well-worn footpaths.