“Gioco del Ponte”: the Game on the Bridge | Pisa

Every last Saturday in June, 12 teams of 20 fighters each face each other pushing with force and using their legs and necks, but not their arms, a very heavy cart running on rails, positioned in the middle of the Ponte di Mezzo on the Lungarni.

The objective is to advance until the flag of the enemy faction falls. The Gioco del Ponte involves six fights and a possible tie-breaker. Today, the 12 magistrature, divided into two parts called Mezzogiorno and Tramontana, no longer face each other with swords, shields and the violence that characterised the ancient version, but the strong desire to prevail in a challenge that gives great lustre to the winning teams persists. Challenges can last from a few seconds to over 30 minutes: that is how long it can take for a judiciary to overwhelm its direct opponent.

An ancient tradition, but today’s challenge probably stems from the ancient game of Mazzascudo, a very violent fight that took place in the Piazza delle Sette Vie, or Piazza dei Cavalieri. A battle-hardened city like Pisa had to keep its men constantly trained. The first version of the Gioco del Ponte would be none other than this fight held on the Ponte Vecchio, today’s Ponte di Mezzo.

Program

The day gets underway at 6.00 pm with the setting up of the picket lines in the squares adjacent to the Ponte di Mezzo. At 7.00 pm, the ‘Mostra delle Parti’ sets off along the Lungarni, and at 9.00 pm the ‘Disfida del Ponte’ begins.

Advance ticket sales

Advance tickets are available exclusively from the box office of the Teatro Verdi in Pisa on Tuesday 23 June from 4.00 pm and on Wednesday 24 June from 11.00 am. Tickets cost €5.00. Each person may purchase up to a maximum of four tickets.
On each of the two advance-sale days, 300 tickets will be available. One hour before the box office opens, a numbering system will be in place to regulate access to the counter: the numbers issued will be valid only for that opening session.

The Teatro Verdi box office (40, Via Palestro) is open from Tuesday to Saturday, from 11.00 am to 1.00 pm, and on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday afternoons also from 4.00 pm to 7.00 pm.
For further information, please call 050 941111 or email biglietteria@teatrodipisa.it