Good afternoon. What kind of entertainment and holidays you will meet while traveling around our planet. Today we will talk about the crazy battle that you can find at the Italian carnival. The Battle of the Oranges takes place every year in the town of Ivrea. This is the most picturesque part of the carnival. Several hundred people are participating. And what do they do? Throw 350 tons of ripe Sicilian oranges at each other.

Italy. Ivrea city near Turin.

By the way, you can also take part in this event.

It is clear that the battle of oranges is not just fun and it has long historical roots, started in 1808. Do you believe that this mass brawl reflects the spirit of the struggle for the independence and freedom of the local population from feudal oppression? Tourists from all over Italy and from all over the world come to participate in this epic battle on oranges.

If you want to participate, book accommodation in advance.

duel on oranges

The orange battle is bright, festive and a bit extreme. It is an obligatory part of the annual carnival. It symbolizes the coming of spring, the freedom of the local population. Usually, in March or February, it lasts 3 days.

The Italian town of Ivrea near Turin is not much remarkable if it were not for the battle of oranges. Thanks to him, both the town and the holiday become a place of pilgrimage for reckless extreme tourists.

You can imagine a situation from ordinary life when a whole orange was stuck on your forehead. And, somehow, it's ... not fun or something ... And in Italy, on a holiday, hundreds of people from all over throw ripe weighty fruits at each other and laugh.

The epic Battle of the Oranges is being played on a grand scale. To conduct such a battle we need:

1. 150-200 participants for a duel on oranges;
2. about 350 tons of fresh, juicy orange citrus fruits.

Who and when invented the "orange confrontation"

The annual Carnevale d'Ivrea has been taking place since 1808. The very same orange battle appeared later, somewhere in the 30s of the XX century.

Girls find different ways to get the attention of a handsome guy. In this Italian countryside, virgins from their balconies threw oranges at the guys passing below. The guys answered the same.

Although, the roots of this innocent game go much deeper. This is a struggle for the freedom and independence of the ordinary inhabitants of the city from the will of the feudal lords.

Legend

Duke Marcus wanted to spend the night with Violetta, a simple but brave and determined girl, the daughter of a miller. She didn't want the Duke's love. She cut off Marcus's head, put it on the tip of the sword and showed it from the ducal balcony to the whole city.

Since then, the orange symbolizes that same severed head. And the orange color is the help of the townspeople who protected Violetta from the duke's guards. Then the guards were thrown stones to save the brave Violetta.

There is another version of the beginning of the "Orange Confrontation". It originates at the same time as the carnival itself, since 1808.

The Battle of Orange is a memory of Tukinaggio's uprising against the despotism of the feudal lords.

How is the battle

Usually, the holiday takes place on the weekend before Lent, and ends only on Tuesday. The action takes place right on the streets of the city. The action is monitored by a special commission. Everything is serious.

• A solemn memorial service is held at the opening.
• The queen of the carnival is chosen - the new Violetta.
• She rides in a carriage through the city, scattering yellow mimosas and sweets.

• Participants are divided into 9 teams, consisting of arancieri - throwing oranges.
• Each team has its own fruit cart. These are projectiles.
• Arancheri attack the guards, who are dressed in armor and wear protective masks on their faces.
• If you just want to look, then wear a red pointed cap on your head. This is a sign of inviolability. Spectators cannot throw oranges.

• You can move to the rank of participants.
• All participants have orange hats on their heads, and they themselves are dressed in medieval costumes.
• If you get tired of being a spectator, grab your hat and join any team. You choose whether to be a spectator or a participant.
• During closing, the standard phrase is said: "See you next Fat Tuesday, the time is one in the afternoon."

Oranges do not grow in this region of Italy. At first, the duel took place on apples, but no one will remember how and when the fruits were replaced. Oranges are brought from Sicily especially for the festival.

At the end of the holiday, a straw pole is built and set on fire. It is believed: the higher the flame of the fire rises, the more successful the year will be.

When the holiday ends, all participants clean the streets together.

Every year the Hebrew Carnival ends in much the same way. Everyone has a lot of fun, but someone is sure to end up in a hospital bed. Everything is here: from unpleasant bruises to fractures and concussions.

Photo gallery of heroes

Working hours

Official site: www.storicocarnevaleivrea.it

How to get there

• By car

You can get from Milan on the A4 highway in 2 hours, it's only 123 km.

From Turin, take the A5 in 1 hour, it's 55 km.

• By train

From Turin Torino Porta Susa Station, fast train R 20071 direct to Ivrea in 1 hour.

From Milan, Milano Porta Garibaldi train station, train ES 9578 will take you 2.5 hours with one change.

Address: Ivrea, Italy.

Ivrea on the map

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In Northern Italy, the annual Carnevale d'Ivrea costume carnival is held along the streets of the city of Ivrea with participation in an orange battle. The battle with oranges is a re-enactment of a historical battle, only instead of weapons, stones and ...

In Northern Italy, the annual Carnevale d'Ivrea costume carnival is held along the streets of the city of Ivrea with participation in an orange battle. The battle with oranges is a staging of a historical battle, only instead of weapons, stones and cobblestones, in the hands of the townspeople and tourists there are ripe orange fruits.

Before the start of Lent, many countries hold various colorful festivals and carnivals with bright decorations and incredible wild fun. This carnival tradition is also supported by the Italians, who hold various carnivals on a grand scale, one of which is the “Orange Battle”. More than 350 tons of juicy fruit are prepared in advance for the battle of the oranges, which is approximately the annual consumption of oranges by the whole of Italy. One can only imagine what a citrus smell reigns, and what an orange layer of pulp covers the streets of the city after the battle. Street cleaning is traditionally carried out by all participants in the battle. Every year, the participants in this orange battle only increase.

To fully understand the meaning of this carnival, you need to know the history of the city of Ivrea, where this holiday is held. As historians say, back in 1808 an event took place, namely, an armed uprising of the people of Tukinajo against the despotism of the feudal lords. But this historical fact attracts little townspeople and tourists, there is another interpretation of this event - a legend. And that's what the locals love the most. After all, each legend carries a certain mystery, which, if desired, can be embellished and add something of your own. So the legend says that a long time ago, back in the 12th century, a terrible law reigned on this land, which gave the ruler of Ivrea the right to the “first night”, with any girl standing under the crown. At that time there lived the beautiful Violetta, the daughter of a miller, who was soon to be married. And on the day of the wedding, the reigning ruler of the city wanted to exercise his rights, but the obstinate and brave Violetta was able to rebuff the king, stabbed him to death, and threw her head out of the balcony. The guards grabbed the girl, but the locals fought her off by throwing stones at the guards.

No one knows for sure whether this story could actually exist, but the townspeople fell in love with this legend and now annually celebrate Violetta's "liberation" battle, where ripe oranges are used instead of stone cobblestones.

The whole organization of the holiday is carried out quite carefully, the battle itself takes place on the main squares of the city. First, a girl is chosen for the role of Violetta. As a rule, she is the main beauty of the carnival. All those wishing to take part are divided into groups of one hundred people, who make up the main force of the fighters, called arancheri. They are dressed in special colorful costumes. Improvised wagons with guards leave for the square. In each such wagon there are ten people, specially trained, and dressed in clothes with metal armor and helmets. After all, an orange thrown with force is a rather formidable weapon, which sometimes, even in the presence of special clothing, leads to minor injuries to participants, such as a broken nose and a bruise under the eye. But this is nothing compared to the emotions that all those present and taking part in the battle receive. At the end of the battle, the team on the ground, which is better and more accurate in throwing citrus fruits, is given a prize.

By the way, those who do not want to participate in this battle themselves, but want to look at the battle from the side and remain not a “broken” orange, such spectators are given red caps. This red riding hood tells all the fighters that this carnival hero is untouchable.

Look at these photos taken at the time of the battle, and you will understand that the whole show that is taking place is a rather serious battle, but friendship, solidarity, love and justice still win. At least that's what I want to think.published

The Italian carnival has its own interesting features in many regions. In some places you can meet traditions that are completely different from anything in other cities. Residents are sometimes busy with the preparation of such events for most of the year.

In the small town of Ivrea, located between Milan and Turin, colorful orange battles take place every year. A lot of tourists come to watch the battles, but most of them prefer to stay away from the impressive, but very dangerous spectacle. Orange fights in Ivrea can be observed during the last three carnival days.

Officially, the tradition of holding such battles in Italy dates back to 1808, although historians associate the origin of the custom with the uprisings of the poor against the rich in the Middle Ages. History has kept records telling that they also tried to use beans and apples for carnival battles, but still settled on oranges. Not a very clear choice, since these delicious fruits do not grow in these areas of Italy, and they have to be specially brought from Sicily.

Orange fights in Ivrea acquired their modern look after the Second World War, the tradition has been observed sacredly for many years. All participants in the fruit battles must certainly wear red caps, which were considered a symbol of freedom, in recent years they have been more often replaced by T-shirts, and helmets protect their heads.

Teams of orange throwers are called arancheri. The main battle takes place in the squares of the city between the arancheri, located on special carts drawn by a pair or four horses, and opponents located in the square. The orange throwers on the wagons are dressed in special costumes and in leather masks with metal inserts. The arancheri team on the wagon consists of 10 people, and the team on the square - from 100. All participants are assigned their places in the city and the colors of the costumes. In total, 9 groups take part in colorful (and juicy too) battles - according to the number of districts in the city.

A special commission is watching the course of the orange battle. At the end of the battle, a cash bonus is awarded to one wagon and one team on the ground. Cleaning up the city center from mutilated oranges after the end of the event is done by a considerable number of janitors specially hired these days.

The orange battles have a lot of fans who always want to participate. However, there are many opponents who are categorically against such a useless expenditure of a huge amount of beautiful fruits. Also, many are dissatisfied with the fact that the number of victims during the event annually is about 200 people ...

First, a little history. In the Middle Ages, in the Italian city of Ivrea, a certain girl Violetta married her beloved. But no one canceled the right of the first night for the local feudal lord. Decisive and loyal, Violetta took this lord's life by cutting off his head, which is not surprising, given the hot Italian character. Law enforcement officers attacked the unfortunate girl, but the townspeople stood up for her, throwing stones at the guards.

Since then, a tradition has appeared in Ivrea - a carnival with a demonstrative beating of law enforcement officers. Of course, now not stones are used, but oranges. By the way, Ivrea is located in northern Italy, and oranges are not grown there. Therefore, they are brought in huge quantities from Sicily. Every year, the townspeople choose the most beautiful girl for the role of Violetta and appoint her Carnival Queen Munania.

Several wagons are involved in the battle, incredibly decorated and drawn by a pair or four horses. There are "guards" in them and a large supply of oranges is prepared. Also, numerous boxes with orange ammunition are placed along the streets. The townspeople close their windows and shop windows and go out together to beat up the medieval guards. The guards dress in protective armor and enter the city from different sides at a certain time. The holiday begins.

Citizens and tourists furiously shoot the guards with oranges. The guards also rush with all their might. In a few minutes, the streets are filled with orange porridge, and the walls of houses, horses and people having fun are splashed with orange juice and pulp. For Russian tourists, kneading fruit slurry with their feet is a bit blasphemous. In no case should oranges hit horses. This is bad tone. In Italy, a respectful attitude towards horses has remained since the times of paganism, it is very expensive and prestigious to be a horse owner.

At the very tail of the procession, there are several ambulances and sweepers with teams of janitors. They quickly wash the streets, because the carnival continues for several days, day and night, and there will be more than one procession. At night, artists perform in city squares, fireworks rumble. Happy Italians, some with black eyes and bloody noses, dance until the morning and surprise tourists with their tirelessness and hot temperament.

Unfortunately, everything comes to an end, and the carnival days also end. But the inhabitants of Ivrea are not upset, because in a year the cheerful orange massacre will be repeated again. Sponsors and organizers of this carnival do not skimp on funds, as it is very honorable to participate in it. The Orange Festival is one of the most famous and original carnivals in the world.

People have not forgotten how to sort things out without assault. True, the desire to throw something well at the enemy is great when it comes to the strong and the weak. In the town of Ivrea, in Italy, every year locals and tourists from all over the world gather to take part in the orange battle and shoot the first person who comes across with ripe fruit.

The Battle of the Oranges is called Battaglia delle Aranche (Orange Battle). It takes place annually on March 7th and 8th as part of the Carnevale d'Ivrea. The essence of the holiday is that several teams dress up in medieval costumes, put on protective helmets so that there are no scars and bruises from ripe fruits, and go on the warpath. Showdowns on oranges have been conducted in Italy for 9 centuries.

In the 12th century, according to legend, a local feudal lord forcibly married the miller's daughter Violetta. The proud girl did not want to give the nobleman the right to the first night and pushed him off the balcony. The guards immediately attacked Violetta, but the local people stood up for her. The guards were stoned until they released the girl.

Since then, orange battles have been held in Italy. Those unlucky ones who find themselves at the epicenter of what is happening should wear a red cap. Then the juicy kind of citrus fruits will not fly into them.