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Historical Carnival of Ivrea: The Battle of the oranges

When we think of the Carnival in Italy we immediately think of the famous Carnival of Venice, but did you know that there are many more carnivals in the country that are equally beautiful and interesting?

This time we will talk about the carnival where the battle of the oranges takes place:

Ivrea is a small town in Northern Italy, specifically in the province of Turin.

This city of medieval charm is also characterized for being a very important industrial center. However, the city is best known for its traditional carnival that takes place forty days before the beginning of the Holy Week.

The battle of the oranges “Battaglia delle Arance” is part of this annual historical festival. Locals fight the orange war to commemorate a victory of the people over tyrannical rulers.

Around the 12th century, a tyrant lord attempted to rape a young maiden who was about to marry. In an attempt to free herself, the girl beheaded the tyrant with a sword and a general rebellion broke out in the city. This battle between the commoners and the vassals of the lords is recreated during the carnival in a pitched battle in which oranges are thrown.

Would you like to participate? Well, you can! Foreigners are welcome, the only requirement is to pay a fee, wear non-slip shoes and be willing to endure the bruises that may be generated during the event.

But if you are just curious to see this battle  and not participate all you have to do is wear a red cap which indicates to the participants that you are not a target for orange throwing.

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