As part of the program for L’Aquila 2026, Italian Capital of Culture, the Festival of Medieval Cities returns to L’Aquila for its fourth edition, sponsoredby the University of L’Aquila and the City of L’Aquila, and curated by Amedeo Feniello and Alfonso Forgione of the University’s Department of Human Sciences.

The theme “Peace and War: Walls and Bridges” invites us to reflect on one of the most profound tensions of the Middle Ages and the contemporary world: peace and war not as exceptional conditions, but as structural dimensions of political, social, and cultural life. In this context, walls and bridges emerge as powerful civic metaphors—defense and boundaries on the one hand, and passage, exchange, and connection on the other.

Historians, archaeologists, art historians, and economic historians engage in dialogue with journalists, political scientists, and artists in a program featuring thematic lectures, “Dialogues” curated by Giovanni Carletti, special lectures, and ” Beyond the Middle Ages ” evenings featuring guests such as Lella Costa, Dario Fabbri, Franco Cardini, and Anna Foa. The festival concludes with a special focus on the Fortifications of Abruzzo and the Walls of L’Aquila, grounding the theme in the history and identity of the region.

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