Italians fight it out in the traditional 'Battle of the Oranges'
by Reuters
143 views
ROUGH CUT (NO REPORTER NARRATION)
Hundreds of revelers on Sunday (March 2) poured into Ivrea, Italy to re-enact the northern Italian city's historic 'Battle of the Oranges'.
The annual event sees large crowds dressed up in medieval costumes engage in a spectacular citrus clash bombarding each other with juicy oranges from Sicily.
Legend has it that back in the 12th century the daughter of a local miller rejected the advances of the town's evil lord. She cut off his head and set Ivrea free from his tyranny.
The battle recalls the insurrection against the tyrant with participants split into noblemen and commoners with the oranges representing the oppressor's head.
In the 1930s local girls started to throw oranges along with confetti and flowers from their balconies onto the carnival parade carriages so that the boys would notice them.
From the carriages the boys would throw items back. With time the gesture became first a duel and then a real fight bet
Hundreds of revelers on Sunday (March 2) poured into Ivrea, Italy to re-enact the northern Italian city's historic 'Battle of the Oranges'.
The annual event sees large crowds dressed up in medieval costumes engage in a spectacular citrus clash bombarding each other with juicy oranges from Sicily.
Legend has it that back in the 12th century the daughter of a local miller rejected the advances of the town's evil lord. She cut off his head and set Ivrea free from his tyranny.
The battle recalls the insurrection against the tyrant with participants split into noblemen and commoners with the oranges representing the oppressor's head.
In the 1930s local girls started to throw oranges along with confetti and flowers from their balconies onto the carnival parade carriages so that the boys would notice them.
From the carriages the boys would throw items back. With time the gesture became first a duel and then a real fight bet