Exploding Easter in Florence. Experience the Scoppio del Carro

The Scoppio del Carro, which literally means "explosion of the cart", is an old folk tradition that takes place every Easter Sunday in Florence. The nine-meter tall opulent cart, packed with fireworks and other pyrotechnics, explodes giving it a spectacular show for thousands of eyes at the Piazza del Duomo. It is a truly breathtaking experience you shouldn’t miss. 

Why do Florentians celebrate Scoppio del Carro

The event commemorates the victory of the First Crusade when Europeans took siege over the city of Jerusalem claiming Christianity. Florentine crusader knight Pazzino de' Pazzi was the first to raise the Christian flag above the holy city. Since then the Scoppio del Carro celebration honors the victory by featuring the immense antique cart procession through the streets of Florence and its big explosion at the main city square. 

Medieval characters pull 40 tons of pyrotechnics

The striking event starts at the Porta al Prato and moves to the Piazza del Duomo. Its main element, the cart in the shape of the tower, is fully packed with pyrotechnics and weighs about 40 tons. It’s pulled by two pairs of white oxen and is escorted by 150 soldiers, musicians, and people in medieval costumes. When the cart gets to the Piazza del Duomo, it’s now time for a fire show. 

The white dove brings the fire

Equally interesting is the method of ignition. The chariot is set on fire by the wooden dove, or as they say in Florence by the "colombina”. The pigeon with the fire in his heart is dragged through the wire from the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore straight to the cart. At the moment when colombina reaches the fireworks, it blows up and burns in flames for 20 minutes till nothing remains. 

Take 2,500 fireworks, load them onto a 350-year-old cart, pull it with oxen into the city center and ignite it with a dove. That is how Easter in Florence looks like. You really shouldn’t miss this.