History of the Carnival of Ivrea

((Photos by: me!!!!))

The Carnival of Ivrea is a historical performance dated about two hundred years... On Carnival's days, the "Eporediesi" (people who live in Ivrea) become masters of the city. They get around the leading figures of the performance, the "Mugnaia" and the "Generale" and other people; they give start to a beautiful show called THE BATTLE OF THE ORANGES ("Battaglia delle Arance"). A feature of this carnival is the large period of this performance: from the Epifania (January, 6) to the Wednesday of ash (Mercoledì delle ceneri). The event of this performance goes back to 1800's, when each districts of Ivrea celebrated the Carnival on his own. The Napoleonic government, which ruled Ivrea in those years, imposed the Carnivals to be joing. It had been allowed to an eporediese citizen to become Generale of the napoleonic army and to join of "Aiutanti di Campo e Ufficiali di Stato Maggiore" (Aides-de-camp and Line officers). In thas period started the use to wear the "Berretto frigio" (cap frigio), symbol of the French Revolution. The spirit of freedom of the Eporediesi has origins already in 1194 years.

Fallowing the legend of those times, it has been told that the tyrant "conte Ranieri di Biandrate" pretended the " jus primae noctis ", i.e. to spend the first night of wedding with all the brides. This was also the destiny of Violetta, the daughter of a miller, that rebelled to the pretentionses of the tyrant. Violetta cut his head with a dagger hidden under her nuptial dress. Then she show the tyrant's head to the eporediese population joint by the "Castellazzo". Therefore the "Mugnaia" incited a popular revolt that drove to the destruction of the "Castellazzo".

The Battle of the Oranges is one of the most beautiful performance of the popular insurrection: the "aranceri", wich are teams of people figthing on foot, (represented from 9 team: "Asso di Picche", "Morte", "Scacchi", "Arduini", "Diavoli", "Mercenari", "Pantere", "Credendari" and "Tuchini") represent the population in fighting against the people on the waggon, symbol of the tyrant's guards.

((Photos by: me!!!!))

CALENDAR OF THE CARNIVAL:

MORNING OF THE EPIFANY (January, 6) = "Pifferi" and "Tamburi" announces in the ways and in a public squares of Ivrea the beginning of the Carnival. They calls all people to the presentation of the new "Generale". Then the procession to the chapel of the Three Wise Kings on the "Monte Stella".

THE TWO SUNDAYS BEFORE THE CARNIVAL THURSDAY = it carries out the "alzata degli Abbà", the young protagonist of the city quarter, introduced to the population from the balconies each in his own quarters...

"GIOVEDÌ GRASSO" (Carnival Thursday) = in the hall of honor of the Civic Palace, the Mayor delivers wraps tricolour to the "Generale".
"Generale" assumes the full powers on the city: then it reads the "Proclama" from the Balcony. The day will be concluded, after the visit to the Bishop of Ivrea, with masked ball in "Piazza Ottinetti" and "Piazza di Città", the two most important squares of the city.

Ballo in maschera - look the photo

(LAVARINO - Photos)

"SABATO GRASSO" (Carnival Saturday)= at 9.00 pm, a big crowd participates to the presentation of the "Mugnaia". She comes introduced from the "Sostituto Gran Cancelliere" at the Civic Palace's balcony. Now is entered in the Carnival. Historical figures and the "aranceri", between fireworks and torches, parades along the roads of Ivrea and go around starting the celebration in all quarter. SUNDAY = the distributions of the "fagioli grassi" (beans in a Piedmontese typical souce) in the "fagiolata del Castellazzo". On the "Ponte Vecchio"(the old bridge of the town) the "Podestà" carries out the historical manifestation of the "Preda in Dora"; the Podestà throws in the river Dora a stone of Castellazzo to show scorn to the tyrants of all times. In the afternoon the Battle of the Oranges begins. The spectators will have to wear the "Berretto frigio" (cap frigio).

MONDAY = in the public squares of the historical center, the last spouses of the quarter to drive into the ground " 'I pic a l'uso antich ": this symbolically gives start to the diggin to drive the " scarli " into the ground. In the afternoon the Battle of the Oranges resumes and the "Mugnaia" and the "Generale" greet on foot through the aranceri in all each squares.

TUESDAY = in the afternoon there is a new paraded to carnival procession with the last Battle of the Oranges. In the late afternoon, the prize giving to the best "aranceri" and team on the waggon. In the evening the Abbà carry lanterns and torches for the burning of the " Scarli ": it is a magical show that cames befor the funeral march of the Carnival where the "Generale" and the "Stato Maggiore" drag the swords on the ground. The carnival ends with the officially supper late at night. The morning of the "ASHES WEDNESDAY " = "Mugnaia", "Generale" and procession with civilian clothes gose to the Borghetto quarter for the distribution of " polenta and cod " that symbolizes the end of Carnival. The carnival finishes with the famous phrase " Arvedse a giobia a'n bòt " (See you on Thursday at 1.00pm).

((Photos by: me!!!!))

Orange battle - look the photo

TEAM OF "ARANCERI A PIEDI"

...and for this year

Programm of 2006 edition

Manifesti delle edizioni

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