THE BURSTING OF THE CART (the program)

Scoppio del carro - Firenze

Are you ready for the Easter event of Florence??

Are you warming up your cameras??

This is the program of what is going on os Saturday and Sunday in Florence.

Saturday, March 30th, 2013

9:20pm - The procession of the FLorentine Republic starts from Palagio di Parte Guelfa and goes through Via Porta Rossa, Via Por S. Maria, Via Vaccherecchia and Piazza della Signoria

9:30pm - Piazza della Signoria: The procession of the FLorentine Republic together with the Gonfalone procession goes from Palazzo Vecchio through Via Vacchereccia, Via Por S. Maria, Borgo SS. Apostoli, Piazza del Limbo

9:45pm - The parade leaves from SS. Apostoli Church and moves to Via Por S. Maria, Via Vacchereccia, Piazza della Signoria, Via de' Calzaiuoli and arrives in Piazza del Duomo at 10:15pm

10:30pm - At the Duomo Cathedral starts the Easter Vigil and is lighted up the fire

Sunday, March 31st, 2013 (Easter)

8:15am - The "Brindellone" (Cart) with the procession of the Florentine Republic starts from Via il Prato and goes through Borgo Ognissanti, Piazza Goldoni, Via della Vigna Nuova, Via Strozzi, Piazza della Repubblica, Via Roma and arrives in Piazza San Giovanni (Battistero)

8:30am - A group of flag bearers will leave from Palagio di Parte Guelfa, passing through Via Porta ROssa, Mercato Nuovo, Via Vacchereccia, to reach Piazza della Signoria

8:40am - Piazza della Signoria: The procession of the FLorentine Republic with the Gonfalone (Flag of Florence)and the Mayor of Florence will move through Via de' Calzaiuoli and Via degli Speziali to reach Piazza della Repubblica at 9:55 am where an exhibition of the "Sbandieratori" (Flag Bearers) will start

11:00 am - Piazza del Duomo will start the most beautiful event of the Bursting of the Cart

As this is a free show I suggest to go in Piazza del Duomo a little bit befor of 10:30 to make sure you'll have a god place to see the explosion of the cart!!!

MODERN STORY OF THE EASTER DOVE

Colomba pasquale

The Easter Dove (colomba pasquale in Italian) is a typicall Easter cake, the counterpart of the well known Italian panettone.

It was Dino Villani, marketing director of the firm MOTTA (famous for the panettone) who invented in the '30 the Easter dove with the intent to use the same machines and the same dough of the panettone.

In year 1944 Angelo Vergani, the founder of the VERGANI firm, reinvented the recipe and since then the classic Easter dove made with flour, eggs, sugar, yeast, butter, candid orange peel and an almond icing, become a typicall Italian Easter cake!!!

Colomba di Pasqua Vergani

Manifersto colomba Motta

EASTER 2013 IN FLORENCE

Every year for Easter at 11am ther's a folklore tradition in Florence, called "Lo scoppio del carro" (the cart explosion).

If you're planning to be in Florence Sunday, March 31st, 2013, get ready for this important event of our city.

Lo scoppio del carro - Firenze

The story of this event is so old. It starts in year 1097 when Pazzino de' Pazzi, a Florentine from a prominent family, was the first man to scale the walls of Jerusalem. As a reward of this act of bravery, his commander gave him three flints from the church of the Holy Sepulchre, which were carried back in Tuscany. Now these are kept in the church of Santi Apostoli.

It became the practice for a "holy fire" to be struck from these flints at Eastertide, which was then carried througout the city by groups of young men wearing torches.

By the end of the 15th century the cart explosion assumed its present form.

Scoppio del carro - Florence. Italy

On the Easter morning the 9.1mt high cart (30 feet) moves to the Duomo (cathedral). It is escorted by 150 soldiers, musicians and people in 15th century dress.

The cart is loaded with fireworks and stretching to the high altar inside of the catedral, is fitted with a mechanical dove (la colombina).

At 10.30am the cardinal of Florence started with the Easter Mass and at the end at 11am after the singing of the Gloria the cardinal lights a fuse in the colombina with the Easter fire. It then speeds outside of the cathedral to ignite the cart outside.

The fireworks show lasts approx. 20 minutes. A successful explosion of the cart is supposed to guarantee a good harvest, stable civic life and good business.

LOGGIA DI PALAZZO STROZZI

Loggia di Palazzo Strozzi - Firenze, Italy

If you're looking for a shelter from the rain in the city center, a marvelous one is the Loggia di Palazzo Strozzi. This Reinassance courtyard is always open and overlooks Piazza Strozzi, Via degli Strozzi and Via de Tornabuoni.

Enjoy a coffe or a drink at the Caffetteria open until late at night.

Very often there are temporary installations by artists and architects of international renown.

It is difficult to get bored in this place!!!

Loggia di Palazzo Strozzi - Firenze, Italy

Have a look at the Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi website to know all their exhibitions, activities and events... http://www.palazzostrozzi.org/index.jsp?idProgetto=2&idLinguaSito=2

Loggia di Palazzo Strozzi - Firenze, Italy

Palazzo Strozzi

50123 Firenze

FOOD MARKETS

Food Markets in FLorence

Go and buy some fresh fruits and vegetables in Florence to prepare your delicious lunch or dinner.

There are two big markets that you can find in this link 

http://florencebydenis.blogspot.it/2012/05/food-markets-in-florence.html