The 17 contrade

The Legend of la BEFANA

Passion of Christ on Palm Sunday

The Grassina Passion Play

Gothic Dream

Wish upon a star

Halloween

Bacco Artigiano at Rufina

And who was St. Zenobius?

The Race or Bravio of St. Reparata

A home from home through the year

More Tuscan history

The Scottish market

The Florentine historic football game…the ancestor of modern soccer

A kick back in time
[Susan Glasspool]

The rough and tumble traditional Florentine football, locally known as ‘calcio in costume’ (football in costume), dates from Renaissance times, though it is thought to have developed from the Arpasto that the Roman legionaries once played in ancient Florentia. Todays re-enactment is inspired by the game played in Piazza Santa Croce on February 17th 1530 between the Reds and Greens in spite of the fact that Florence was under siege from the Imperial troups.
The matches, which take about 50 minutes, are at times quite violent and often end up with a few broken noses (one often wonders if that is how Dante came by his characteristic profile!). There are 54 players in all, with 27 in each team dressed in medieval breeches, stockings, shirts and jackets. Not a very comfortable form of sportswear!

The game is enthusuastically fired by large numbers of local supporters. There are practically no real rules and anything goes as long as a player can grab the the ball and finally score a ‘caccia’. The four teams taking part in the tournament - one from each of the traditional city quarters - are the Blues for Santa Croce, the Greens for San Giovanni, the Reds for Santa Maria Novella, and White for Santo Spirito. The draw to select the teams that are to take part in the preliminary matches is held before the Explosion of the Fire Cart on Easter Sunday.

This year the qualifying rounds will take place on June 5th and 12th.
The final match between the two winners will be played on June 24th, the Feast Day of Florence’s Patron Saint, St. John the Baptist. All three matches are held in Piazza Santa Croce, though the pavement will necessarily be covered in sand for the occasion!
A formal procession that starts out from Piazza Santa Maria Novella and ends up in Piazza Santa Croce is always held before each game, which is also preceded by a traditional flag throwing display.


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