Every year, in the days leading up to Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras, the people of Ivrea dress up in medieval costumes and divide into nine different teams to participate in a unique and exciting orange-throwing battle for three consecutive days.
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| The “Battle of the Oranges” festival takes place every February to reenact the uprising of the people of Ivrea town to overthrow the brutal count. Photo:donnarussomorin.blogspot |
Although the origins of the festival are unclear, most locals know the story from the 19th century about a tyrannical count who tried to woo a miller’s daughter named Violetta, but was eventually drunk and beheaded by her. After the tyrannical count’s death, the townspeople of Ivrea rebelled and stormed his palace. Today, the annual orange-throwing festival, known as the Battle of the Oranges, is considered a re-enactment of this uprising.
To add authenticity to the event, a young girl would be chosen to represent Violetta, the one who killed the count, and the teams would be divided into royal and commoner teams. After three days of “slaughter,” one of the team generals would end the battle.
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| Dressed in medieval costumes, the townspeople of Ivrea will divide into nine different teams to participate in an extremely exciting and bustling orange throwing battle. Photo: deeppencil |
Air
Unlike the La Tomatina tomato throwing festival, this festival has a separate meaning. Oranges are also a “harder” bullet than tomatoes, so when participating in this unique festival, you should prepare yourself for bruises. As noted, injuries happen frequently, however, there are first aid tents set up to ensure the safety of festival attendees.
Location
The festival takes place in Ivrea, a small and pretty town located at the foot of the Alps, north of Turin, Italy. This town was once the capital of the ancient Roman Empire. Today, Ivrea is best known for this special orange throwing festival.
Place of residence
There are plenty of hotels in Ivrea and prices start from around 70 Euros per night. However, the orange throwing festival is becoming increasingly popular so it is recommended that you book at least 4 months in advance.
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| However, the festival is often criticised for the number of casualties and the amount of orange waste left on the streets after the war. Photo: skycanner |
How to get there
The nearest airport is Turin International Airport, and then visitors can take a train to Ivrea on the Turin – Aosta line.
What to wear
Wear comfortable clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty. A red hat is also a must if you don’t want to be a target for oranges thrown at you.
Despite being a very lively and unique festival, the biggest food fight in Italy consumes over 200,000 kg of oranges each year. Moreover, this orange throwing festival has been criticized for the number of injuries and the amount of orange waste on the streets.
