giugno

In this issue

- The "White mill"

- Capraia island

- Polo at the Argentario

Other articles in Special Events

EVENTS CALENDAR

  • 16 june

    Medici's odditiesThe exhibition presents fifty engravings by Jan van der Straet inspired by preparatory drawings by Giorgio Vasari.

  • 30June

    Maggio musicale
    The real event of spring, one of the most ancient opera festival in Europe. It starts now and keeps going on till the end of June.

banner1

banner1

banner3

Tuscan People

tesconi web

"From the gun to the camera"

Read the article on Luca Tesconi

An Annual Tradition

Written by Michele Pierguidi - Published on 12/06/2012

Calcio Storico Fiorentino is back, in Piazza Santa Croce, as from 16th June with the Whites against the Greens, on 17th June Reds against Blues and continuing until 24th June with the final for the patron saint's feast day of San Giovanni.

The tournament was reintroduced last year thanks to the efforts of the footballers and the new regulations. These regulations have left the spectacle of the game intact, restricting the violence where it was possible to do so.

The CalcioFiorentino game is a contest between the city's four neighbourhoods. The resumption in 1930 decreed the historicity of the event.

The games are played in sixteenth-century costume to commemorate and provide a reconstruction of a special moment in Florentine history.

On 17th February, 1530, Piazza di Santa Croce in Florence became the scene of one of the most important challenges introduced by the Republic of Florence to Emperor Charles V, when the population, under attack for many months by imperial troops, tried out a game of football, giving the impression that it didn't regard the imperial army as being worthy of attention.

Every year a tournament is organised, which involves the four historical city neighbourhoods: the "Whites" of Santo Spirito, the "Blues" of Santa Croce, the "Reds" of Santa Maria Novella and the "Greens" of San Giovanni. They become the stars of tough and exciting contests. The prize that is up for grabs is a white Chianina calf.

Then there's the CorteoStorico parade of the Republic of Florence, made up of 530 players for the occasion, strictly attired in Renaissance military costumes. It refers to the same time in history, reconstructing the deeds and weapons of the republic, when Florence was governed by the people. It's a real tradition, embedded in the city's social fabric.

Some of the most famous sports in the world today are descendants of Florence and its ancient football. Soccer, football and rugby originate or are in fact based on this historical and primitive way of playing with a ball.