Gubbio hosts record-breaking tree
Everyone likes to have the biggest tree at Christmas, be it live or fake. The Christmas tree stands as a symbol of bonding at Christmas, as we all gather to add our own interpretation of how a tree should look.
One place in particular has taken this tradition to a whole new level. Gubbio, located in the heart of Italy has long had the record for world’s largest tree. This is a tradition the town first established back 1981. Using the slopes of Ingino Mount the tree was created to honour the local Patron Saint Ubaldo.
Standing at over 650-meters high, and utilising over 250 lights to create the trees shape, the tree is decorated in 300 multi-coloured lights and features a 1.000 m² shooting star formed with a further 200 lights. Such an achievement could not be unnoticed, and in 1991 it entered in the Guinness Book of World Records as “The World's Largest Christmas Tree”.
The tree makes an appearance every year, with locals illuminating the tree on the Eve of the Immaculate Conception (7th of December). The lights shine throughout the holiday season, until the day of Epiphany (6th January).
The lighting of the tree is seen as a major event in the towns calendar, and can often attract important people from across Italy. In 2011 Pope Benedict XVI made an appearance to switch the lights on. Then in 2014 Pope Francis followed suit. The town is very proud of this tradition, and it seems a great way to get way to mark the holiday period.
