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Scoppio del Carro

Florence, Easter Sunday

BackgroundScoppio del Carro (Explosion of the Cart) is an event that takes place annually in Florence on Easter Sunday.  The tradition has a long history, dating back to 1099, when the first Italian led Crusade took place in the holy land.  According to the history books, a Florentine nobleman called Pazzino de Pazzi was the first person to scale the walls of Jerusalem carrying the red and white flag of the crusaders.  To honour his courage and bravery, the chief of the crusade, Goffredo di Buglione awarded him with stone splinters chipped from the tomb where Jesus is believed to have been laid to rest.  On his return to Florence, de Pazzi kindly donated his award to the city.   

The Venue

 
On Easter morning, a procession is held in Florence, beginning at the church of the SS Apostoli.  A flower-festooned cart, known as the Brindellone is pulled by oxen across the city to the Piazza del Duomo.  Upon reaching the Piazza, the oxen are set free and a wire is attached to the cart.  The wire from the cart is connected to the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, where a white dove-shaped rocket called a colombina is attached.  During the Easter mass ceremony, the fuse is lit using fire from the splinters donated by de Pazzo in 1099.  The dove is then sent on its way along the wire to ignite the Brindellone cart, which has been packed with fireworks and various explosives.  Finally, a colourful explosion rocks the Piazza del Duomo.  The city’s Archbishop then blesses the ensuing fire.  Legend has it that if the explosion goes well, Florence will have a prosperous year.   

Getting There

 
If driving from Rome, Florence is a 274km journey via the A1 and a 472km drive from Naples.  If travelling from Genoa, Pisa or Lucca, follow the A11 Pisa-Florence route. 

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