Barbarossa Festival in Valdorcia

 

Starts today the medieval festival of Barbarossa in San Quirico d’Orcia.

A bit of history

In 1155 Frederick I Barbarossa came to San Quirico d’Orcia to be crowned Roman Emperor by the Pope Adrian IV. As as matter of fact he was Holy Roman Emperor, King of Germany and King of Italy but he hadn’t yet received the Pope’s approval. He met the Pope’s Cardinals and handed over the heretical Arnaldo da Brescia, as asked by the Pope himself. So Frederick I left San Quirico and went to Rome where he was crowned Emperor by the Pope on June 18th 1155. He decided to promote the city to Emperor’s Vicariate to thank it for its warm welcome.

The Festival today and 2012 calendar

The Barbarossa Festival aims to celebrates this important events bring back the city to its ancient splendor as it was in 1155. The city is divided into the original city quarters that are the Borgo, colored in white and black, the Castle, colored in white and red, the Prato in white and green and the Canneti in white and blue.

The festival starts today June 13th at 9pm with the presentation of special handmade Emperors’ jugs by Tommaso Andreini and Children’s jugs by Michele Monaci. Then the Barbarossa Museum is open to the public. On Thursday June 14th at 9.30pm the costume parade goes around the city, then the young archers and the standard-bearers are blessed. On Friday June 15th every quarter celebrates with a auspicious medieval dinner.

On Saturday the event starts at 4.30pm with the costume parade going to the beautiful Horti Leonini where the archers challenge each other and then the flag-throwers make a show. Then at 7.30 the medieval inns open serving medieval food while street artists entertain the public.

On Sunday at 11am there is the holy mess and then at 12pm the inns open to the public. At 4pm in front of the Collegiata Church there is the historic re-enactment of the meeting between Frederick I and the Pope’s Cardinals as it happened in 1155. Then at 5.30 archers and flag-throwers challenge each other. For all day street artists, jugglers and performers entertain the public.

For more information visit the official website of Barbarossa Medieval Festival!