"Sestiere Castellare", is an association for the social and cultural promotion of historical re-enactments and reconstructions developed to recreate life in the Late Middle Ages in the Tuscan area. Now, however, that the tender of the municipality of Mel has been awarded to grant management of the Castle of Zumelle to a third party, the historical and cultural activity will extend to the areas of the Province of Belluno and the entire Veneto Region as well.
The Association was set up on December 11, 1997 by a group of young people who attempted to place it in a historical contest: for this reason, careful studies were carried out at the State Archives in Florence and Lucca, at the libraries in Lucca, Altopascio and Pescia, which led to the discovery of the existence of an independent community in the Municipality of Pescia up until at least 1331, and to which Sestiere del Castellare refers.
Sestiere Castellare promotes cultural, recreational and traditional activities, especially for educational purposes based on a "living history" model. Most of the activities are geared towards reproducing garments taken from manuscripts, paintings, miniatures and frescos, located mainly in the Tuscan cities, and created using fourteenth century sewing techniques.
The activities promoted over the years by the association include:
• The Medieval Market
• The Renaissance Market
All the accessories for the clothes were recreated using the same research methods, each one of which had its own symbolism, in addition to a specific use.
Another of the Association's goals is to re-enact daily life at the time from civilians to the military and to study the various arts and crafts that marked the life style of medieval man.