Via Quattro Martiri and the Synagogue
One of the most distinctive streets in Ivrea’s historic centre, Via Quattro Martiri was, for centuries, the city’s Jewish neighborhood. Its elegant synagogue still stands today as a testament to that heritage. At the beginning of the street, in August 1868, another chapter of Ivrea’s history began with the birth of a child destined to transform the city’s future: Samuel David Camillo Olivetti.
The places of the Carnival
During the Historic Ivrea Carnival, the city becomes a spectacle unlike any other. Beyond the Battle of the Oranges, the celebration is made up of deeply cherished rituals, each with its own special setting: a square, a bridge, a street, a church, a palace or a balcony. The city is transformed into a stage where the community rediscovers its identity and its roots, united by the enduring ideal of Freedom.
Carri da Getto
The Carri da Getto represent the defence of the Feudal Lord against the popular uprising, embodied by the Aranceri on foot. They are therefore the other indispensable element that allows the Battle of the Oranges to renew its historical and symbolic significance year after year. True communities in their own right, the Carri da Getto devote meticulous attention to every aspect of their participation in the Carnival, down to the smallest detail: from the masks and decorations to the horses’ harnesses.
The days of the Carnival
The Carnival in Ivrea is awaited with great anticipation and, in many ways, lasts all year long. Even so, it follows a precise calendar and a ceremonial tradition that is faithfully observed. Epiphany marks the official opening of the celebration with the first appearance of the Pifferi e Tamburi and the investiture of the General. From that moment on, Ivrea embraces the Carnival. Day after day, ritual after ritual, the city comes alive in celebration until Ash Wednesday, when the festivities draw to a close.
The Aranceri teams
There are nine teams of Aranceri on foot who, wearing no protective gear other than the tunic and trousers in their team colours, challenge those aboard the Carri da Getto, giving rise to a duel of profound symbolic significance. Their historic uniforms and banners embody a deep sense of identity and a strong attachment to tradition, values that are deeply rooted in the hearts of all participants.
The History of the Historic Carnival of Ivrea
We must begin in 1194, the year in which a popular uprising freed Ivrea from a tyrant: this is the epic element that would inspire the future Carnival of Ivrea from the fourteenth century onwards, when the first neighbourhood carnivals were celebrated. Eight centuries after the legend of the tyrant slain by Violetta, the Historic Carnival of Ivrea continues to embody the values of Freedom, to pass on its symbolic meaning, and to affirm itself as a civic celebration for all.
The General
The General is one of the most beloved figures of the Historic Ivrea Carnival and serves as the authority in charge of the celebration, wearing a uniform inspired by the Napoleonic era. Having received the office from his predecessor on Epiphany, the General is symbolically invested with full authority by the Mayor of Ivrea on Fat Thursday.
The Battle of the Oranges
The Battle of the Oranges is the most spectacular event of the Historic Ivrea Carnival, a cultural heritage tradition that ranks the celebration among the most significant Carnival events on the international stage. Nine teams of Aranceri on foot, wearing no protective gear other than their team colours, challenge the Carri da Getto, whose orange throwers are protected by leather masks. The Battle commemorates the popular uprising in which the people of Ivrea rose up against the tyrant and his soldiers.
The main figures
The Historic Ivrea Carnival has deep medieval roots. Having evolved into a civic celebration during the nineteenth century, it is considered the oldest Carnival in Italy. Five historic figures lie at the heart of the celebration: the Vezzosa Mugnaia, the General, the Deputy Grand Chancellor, the Abbà, and the Podestà.
The Mugnaia
“Should anyone dare show disrespect to the Mugnaia, that strong yet gracious symbol, all of Ivrea would rise in fury to defend her.” The Vezzosa Mugnaia is the most important figure of the Historic Ivrea Carnival. Introduced into the celebration in 1858, she embodies “Violetta”, the miller’s daughter who defied the tyrant oppressing the people by beheading him, thus sparking the popular uprising.
Company Canteen and Recreation Club
If the people who work are individuals, and every individual is both body and spirit, then the lunch break cannot simply be time to eat. Nor can the canteen be merely the place where that happens. Hence these remarkable spaces, open to nature, where people can eat, rest, read, play, talk, or simply enjoy a moment of silence. Productivity? It benefits too.
Heating Plant
The colors, the stained-glass windows, a certain feminine grace in a building whose purpose would otherwise be purely practical: instead, it becomes, also to the eye, one of the area’s vital centers. It is a heating plant that seems to say: there is another kind of energy, no less important than the one it produces, and that energy is beauty.