Italy’s historical Carnival of Ivrea

The most ancient Carnival in the world is a unique event that takes place in the Medieval town of Ivrea, near Turin in Piedmont. During Carnival, Ivrea is illuminated with lights and colours and the air is saturated with intense penetrating perfumes of oranges. It is a festivity of ancient origins (end of 12th century) which recalls, among other things, the rebellion of Ivrea against the Ranieri tyranny, symbolized by the famous Battle of the Oranges.

The Carnival of Ivrea is the only Carnival in the world which has a real plot and tells a story in which the protagonists are not carnival characters, but ideal figures, the symbols of anarchic values and actors of ancient events.

Even if the original core of the legend has been gradually adapted over the years to the requirements of the various periods, there remain two main trends of events which make up the plot. The first goes back to the Middle Ages, when Federico Barbarossa installed the tyrant Raineri di Biandrate as lord of the town. For a long time the violence and abuse of power exasperated the people, who in 1194 rose up and destroyed the tyrant’s castle, the symbol of oppression. The same fate was reserved to another despot in 1266, the Marquis Gugliemo of Monferrato.

In popular tradition, Raineri and Guglielmo become a single tyrant, who in-keeping with the custom of the time, claimed the right to practice “jus primae noctis”,in other words to spend the wedding night with the brides. Until Violetta, the beautiful daughter of a miller, rebelled against the lord’s will, cut off his head with a dagger and showed it to the people gathered beneath the castle walls.

There followed a popular rebellion, which led to the destruction of the castle and which is today symbolised by the Battle of Oranges played out between the orange throwers on foot representing the rebels and those on the carts representing the tyrant’s guards. In order to fully understand the current structure of the Festival, we must complete the plot with a glimpse of more recent history.

Up until 1600, the various districts of the town celebrated Carnival separately, holding parties that were animated by great rivalry and which often ended in violent disputes. It was only in 1808 that the Napoleonic government, which had jurisdiction in Ivrea, ordered the reunification of Carnival celebrations and entrusted the control to a group of citizens in Ivrea. To stimulate a congenial disposition of the town towards the government, the group was made to wear the uniform of the Napoleonic army. This is how the figure of the General came about, surrounded by the Aide-de-camp and Staff Officiers.

Only in 1858, on the wave of the renewed desire for freedom stemming from the Risorgimento movement, the General was accompanied by the figure of the miller’s daughter (Mugnaia), the heroine of the Historic Festival. The beauty Mugnaia, the General and his Staff Officiers, the procession with the quarters’flags, represented by the priors, the Pipes and Drums, the colourful Orange Battle, the stakes are the real protagonists and the main events of the Historical Festival.

All these elements are rooted in the dark Mediaeval History: some present characters, also symbols of rebellion for the freedom conquest, are linked with them and symbol of liberty from every form of tyranny. Finally the obligation to wear the “Berretto Frigio” (red hat), dates back to the 19th century. It is the symbol of liberty and brotherhood inherited from the French revolutionists and must be worn to avoid becoming a target for the orange throwers.

The programme of the Historical Carnival of Ivrea

4th February 2007:
10.00 a.m. - Piazza Ottinetti
FAGIOLANDIA: tasting of typical Canavese dishes.
Taking part are Canavese community associations, as well as the town bean and polenta and cod associations.

11.00 a.m. - Piazza di Città
Ceremony of the “Prise du drapeau” and parade of the General Staff with the fife and drum band.

2.30 p.m.
Presentation of the priors in the various quarters of the town.

Sunday 11th February 2007:
10.00 a.m. - Piazza Freguglia
Presentation of the orange carts.
Parade through the town with groups of historical characters.
P.zza Ottinetti
Opening of the “Angolo dell’Arancere”, exhibition of the carnival past and present, with sale of souvenirs.

2.30 p.m.
Presentation of the priors in the various quarters of the town.

Thursday 15th February 2007:
2.30 p.m. - Piazza di Città
Handing over of power from the Mayor to the General and reading of the proclamation from the Town Hall balcony.
Start of parade through the streets of the town.

3.30 p.m. - Piazza Ottinetti
Children’s party, organized by “Amis ad Piassa dla Granaja”, with games, entertaiment, sweets and snacks.
9.00 p.m. - “...e la festa continua!”, masked ball in the town’s streets, organized by “Amis ad Piassa dla Granaja”.

Saturday 17th February 2007:
9.00 p.m. - Piazza di Città Town Hall
Reading of the appointment and presentation of the Vezzosa Mugnaia (the pretty miller’s daughter) from the Town Hall balcony.

9.15 p.m. - Piazza di Città - Town Hall
The students’ torch-light procession leaves for the town streets with the Mugnaia and orange-throwers. Firework display along the river Dora. Opening of the orange-throwers’ celebrations in the various quarters.

Sunday 18th February 2007:
9.45 a.m. - Piazza Castello
Oath of loyalty of the Podestà of the Free Comune of Ivrea.

10.00 a.m. - Piazza Maretta
The Carnival characters visit the Castellazzo Fagiolata.

10.30 a.m. - Ponte Vecchio
The “Preda in Dora” ceremony.

11.00 a.m. - Piazza di Città
Show and presentation of Guest Historic Groups.

2.00 p.m. - Piazza di Città
Beginning of the march.

2.15 p.m. - Town squares
Beginning of the ORANGE BATTLE.

Monday 19th February 2007:
2.15 p.m. - Town squares
Beginning of the ORANGE BATTLE.

9.00 p.m.
Bands and historic groups put on a magnificent show in the town centre streets.

Tuesday 20th February 2007:
2.00 p.m. - Piazza di Città
Beginning of the march.

2.15 p.m. - Town squares
Beginning of the ORANGE BATTLE.

5.30 p.m. - Piazza di Città - Town Hall
Reading out of placings of orange-throwers’ teams and carts followed by prize-giving

8.00 p.m.
Burning of the Scarli in the quarters of the town.

9.30 p.m. - Piazza di Città
Burning of the Scarlo in front of the Vezzosa Mugnaia.

10.15 p.m.
Burning of the last Scarlo in Borghetto.
Funeral March and traditional farewell
“Arvedze a giobia’ n bot” in Piazza Ottinetti.

Transports and links

Ufficio Servizi Turistici
tel. +39 011 5764750 - +39 011 5764733
from monday to friday: 9.00/12.00 a.m. - 2.00/4.00 p.m.
comune.torino.it/gtt

Hotel reservations and Special proposals

ESSECITI S.r.L. Incoming, Tailor Made programs, Sports Events, Incentive, Meetings & Congresses

Corso Francia, 35 B - 10138 Torino
tel.+39 0112306000 fax +39 0112306007

How to get to Ivrea:
Motorways From Turin: A5 Turin-Aosta exit at IVREA tool gate
From Milan: A4 Milan-Turin A4-A5 Santhià-Ivrea connection
A5 motorway to Aosta exit at IVREA tool gate
From Aosta: A5 Aosta-Turin exit at IVREA tool gate
From Genoa: A26 Genova-Gravellona motorway
A26 to Alessandria-Santhià A4-A5 Santhià-Ivrea connection
A5 to Aosta exit at IVREA tool gate