Maschera di Ferro Festival in Piemonte

Maschera di Ferro, or iron mask, is a festival recreating the man in the iron mask story. A procession of participants in period costume kicks off the events which include entertainment in the streets and squares on Saturday evening. Sunday afternoon the story is acted out and the mask removed to reveal the man in the iron mask, played each year by a different person.

Not only is this an unusual and fun festival but it's a chance to visit a historic town off the beaten tourist track. Maschera di Ferro takes place the first weekend of October in Pinerolo, a small town southwest of Torino in the beautiful Val Chisone.

• Information and Photos: Maschera di Ferro
• Pinerolo Location: Piemonte Map
• More: October Festivals in Italy

Photo © 2005 Dario Constantino, with permission, sent by Bella Baita B&B