The shape of the Gigli of Nola

The Gigli of Nola are pyramid-shaped votive “machines” made ??primarily of wood and papier-mâché. The central pole of the obelisks (the borda) is 25 metres high and is inserted in a base which more than two and a half metres wide. The skeleton weighs about 20 quintals. Once the traditional lining with papier-mâché takes place, however, the volume of the Giglio doubles. It is an art handed down from generation to generation by the artisans of Nola. The figure of Saint Paulinus is placed in the center, while a statue or, alternatively, a cross or the effigy of Saint Felix (the other patron saint of Nola) are brought to the summit of the Giglio. Only one side of the obelisk is decorated with painted bas-reliefs (not necessarily with religious themes), while others are intended for flags, symbols of craftsmen and advertisements. The dressing of the Gigli takes place on the eve of the Feast of San Paolino. The “machines” are prepared in the quarters and used for the transportation by the insertion of the obelisks on the basis of several wooden bars (the varre).

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