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FIGS, Federazione Italiana, Giochi Storici
VENTIMIGLIA
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Agosto Medievale
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From 6 to 15 August
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During the Middle
Ages, in Ventimiglia, the celebration of the Assumption, a heritage
of the Roman festivities dedicated to the Latin Federation, was
for everybody a favourable opportunity of meeting. During the three
days before the holy feast the young men competed in warlike "bataiole",
the "barzamin" of the Castle against those of the neighbouring
towns.
The young sailors competed in tiresome boat-race, while the notable
and the bourgeois were preparing the Procession of the Guieds with
great display.
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On the eve of the
feast a lot of people used to come in the evening from everywhere,
from the countryside and from the neigh-bouring dioceses, to be
present at the miracle of a water jet gushing from a star engraved
in the leftside of the Cathedral.
On the Assumption day, after Mass, the Bishop blessed the sea and
the ships of the local fleet, then in the afternoon the awaited
Procession anded the holy day.
Since 1974 the revived Compagnie di Sestiere have been reproposing
to the inhabitants of Ventimiglia the same opportunity of meeting,
giving birth to the Medieval August.
In the evening of the second Tuesday of the month, after the ceremony,
said "Raduno della permissione", the musicians and the
ensigns of the Sestieri compete in a marvellous play of flags, the
ancient art of the "Asteludo".
On Thursday a night relay race stimulate the numerous runners to
take a symbolic torch from the ruins of the pre-Roman town to the
center of the Medieval square on the Rock.
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On the evening
eve of the Assumption day the Historic Performances acted by the
figurants of the Sestieri recall some events of the town history
and the crossbowmen compete in a tournament of archery: the "Ludum
Balistre".
Late in the afternoon of the second Sunday, after a cortage which
represents the Procession of the Guilds along the strech of water
of the "Margunaira", the six Ligurian boats try to win
the "Carbaso", the contended town banner, running the
traditional "Regata dei Sestieri".
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3577
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FIGS, Federazione Italiana, Giochi Storici
6503
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