The famous Christmas tree of Gubbio [Umbria], which in 1991 entered the Guiness Book of Records as the largest in the world, was lit on Tuesday evening and this year solar panels have been installed to cut down on the amount of electricity needed to power its lights.
The tree is formed by lights which outline its shape on Monte Ingino, 900 feet above sea level. The shape is then filled in with more, multi-coloured lights and the tree comprises a total of approximately 800 lights. 1,350 sockets and plugs are used, along with 15 – 20 kilometres of cable. The tree is 800 metres [2,624 feet] high and 400 metres [1,312 feet] wide. It is topped by a star with an area of 1,000 square metres.
The idea of a local man, the tree was first erected in 1981. Now a committee of 40 “alberaioli” are responsible for its construction every year and it takes 1,900 working hours to complete. The “alberaioli” donate their time because they love their city, its patron St Ubaldo [1084 – 1160] and the tree as a symbol of brotherhood and friendship. They hope that all who come to admire it will be inspired by the virtues of patience, understanding, kindness, tolerance and goodness. They believe that these virtues allow men to extend the hand of friendship to one another and find new faith in the future.
On 11th December the Budapest Gypsy Orchestra will perform a concert under the tree. The tree can be viewed until 9th January 2011.
