Events

Tribute to Spring, flagweavers show | Volterra

21/04/2025 ore: 11:00 - 13:00

centro storico Volterra, centro storico, Volterra


Every Easter Monday Volterra offers tourists the re-enactment of an ancient pagan rite, that of the passage from darkness to light, with the traditional flag-waving among the districts of Volterra. Start at 11.30 am.

The event takes place in the morning: the Historical Procession, made up of figures in medieval costumes, moves from the Porta a Selci and, going through the historical centre, arrives in Piazza dei Priori to give life to the carousel of flags. Numerous choreographies accompany the flag-wavers’ performance, some of which refer to historical events that took place in medieval and Renaissance Volterra.

The Tribute of Spring has ancient origins, apparently dating back to a pagan rite when, on the occasion of the spring equinox, the people celebrated the passage from darkness to light by paying homage to the awakening of nature after the long winter pause by decorating the city with garlands of spring flowers. This tradition was also handed down in the Middle Ages, and it seems that on the occasion of the ‘majo di primavera’ (spring majo), the people gathered in the square early and woke up the Priors by offering them flowers and shows as a sign of celebration for the arrival of spring.

 

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