The Historic Ivrea Carnival is made up of dozens of rituals, each unique in its own way, celebrated in specific places throughout the city. During Carnival, Ivrea is not simply transformed, it is turned upside down. Its streets, squares and landmarks take on symbolic meanings, creating an atmosphere unlike that of any other time of the year. Some rituals date back to the Middle Ages, while others are more recent. Some are solemn and ceremonial, while others are lighter in spirit and filled with celebration.
Whether it is the donning of the Berretto frigio, the investiture of the General, the raising of the Abbà, the Podestà’s Oath, the planting of the Tree of Liberty, the presentation of the Mugnaia and her Honour Guard, the Preda in Dora, the Battle of the Oranges, the Historic Parade with the Mugnaia, the General and all the other historic groups, the Fagiolate, the Burning of the Scarli, the distribution of polenta and salt cod, or the funeral march accompanied by the farewell “arvedze a giobia’n bot” (“see you next Fat Thursday”)… every event ignites the spirit of the community and finds its own settin, a square, a bridge, a street, a church, a palace or a balcony—where its meaning is renewed year after year.
During the days of the Carnival, Ivrea reveals itself in all its beauty. It becomes a spectacle unlike any other in the world, a stage for a whirlwind of emotions that can be experienced firsthand.
