The Carnival of Ivrea is a historic festival that takes place in the town of Ivrea in northern Italy.
It commemorates a historic event in which the people of Ivrea rose up against a tyrant and overthrew him.
The festival is famous for its 'Battle of Oranges', in which participants throw oranges at each other in a symbolic reenactment of the revolt.
The origins of the Carnival of Ivrea date back to the Middle Ages and it has been celebrated annually for over 200 years.
The Battle of Oranges has become the main attraction of the festival and draws crowds of visitors from around the world.
Participants in the Battle of Oranges are divided into teams, representing either the rebels or the tyrant's army.
The aranceri (orange handlers) on foot throw oranges against the aranceri riding in carts (representing the tyrant's ranks).
The oranges used in the battle are grown locally and are said to represent the stones that were used by the rebels in the original uprising.
Another adaptation of the story has the oranges used to symbolise the removed testicles of the tyrant.
Over 600 tonnes of oranges are thrown during the festival, which corresponds to over 4.2 million oranges.
The festival lasts three days and culminates with the 'Burial of the Carnival', a symbolic ceremony marking the end of the festivities.
The festival also features colourful parades, live music, and traditional costumes.
The Carnival of Ivrea was added to UNESCO's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2020.