Sharing from a friend -- Ferragosto, or Why Italy Closes in August
|
Sharing from a friend --?
Ferragosto, or Why Italy Closes in August
|
|
|
|
| ? |
|
Buon
Ferragosto a
Tutti!
Wherever you
happen to be,
I hope you’re
enjoying the
fullness of
summer. This
slideshow
celebrates Ferragosto
— summer
vacation
Italian-style
— which
originated in
Roman times
well over
2,000 years
ago!
|
|
|
| ? |
|
|
|
Ferragosto, or Why Italy Closes in August
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ? |
These
days
Ferragosto
is a national
holiday
celebrated on
August 15th
(tomorrow!),
marking the
official start
of the exodus
from the
cities to
Italy’s
5,000-plus
miles of
spectacular
coastline and
its stunning
mountain
villages.
|
|
|
| ? |
|
|
|
|
| ? |
|
Click any image to view the full slide show
|
|
|
| ? |
|
|
|
|
| ? |
|
Click any image to view the full slide show
|
|
|
| ? |
|
|
|
|
| ? |
|
Click any image to view the full
slide show
?
Usually,
public
holidays mean
total a
shutdown, even
in major towns
and cities,
with
everything
from post
offices to
public
transport
closed, and
that’s the
case with
August 15th,
though many
musuems and
major tourist
sites remain
open along
with
restaurants,
at least for
lunch. You’ll
see ‘chiuso
per ferie’ signs
popping up all
over the
place, often
with images of
the mountains
and the sea.
|
|
|
| ? |
|
|
|
|
| ? |
Click any image to view the full slide
show
?
This
following
photos are
from Cortina
in the
Dolomites
|
|
|
| ? |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ? |
|
?Click any image to view the full slideshow
?
Ferragosto
is derived
from the Latin
Feriae Augusti
meaning "the
festivals of
the Emperor
Augustus,"
after whom the
month of
August is
named.
|
|
|
| ? |
|
|
|
|
| ? |
|
This was
Augustus'
favorite time
of year and he
formally
instituted the
August ‘vaca’
by connecting
various annual
festivities
celebrating
the harvest to
create an
extended
period of rest
from the
year’s labors
and filled the
time with
rituals,
races, games
and FUN!
?
Click any image to view the full
slideshow
|
|
|
| ? |
|
|
|
|
| ? |
|
Later Ferragosto
took on a
Christian
meaning by
coinciding
with the Feast
of the
Assumption of
the Virgin
into Heaven,
also
celebrated on
August 15th.
|
|
|
| ? |
|
|
|
|
| ? |
|
Click any image to view the full slide show
|
|
|
| ? |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ? |
|
?
Click
any image to
view the full
slideshow
?
Throughout
the country,
Italians
celebrate the
day with
colorful
religious
processions,
festivals
overflowing
with live
music and
fireworks and,
naturally,
great feasts.
Roma comes
alive for the
Gran Ballo
di Ferragosto,
a city-wide
party during
which every
street, square
and corner
becomes a
place for
dancing.
|
|
|
| ? |
|
|
|
|
| ? |
|
Featured
photos were
taken in
Procida,
Cortina, Elba,
Capri, the
Aeoliean
Islands,
Sardinia,
Puglia and the
Amalfi Coast.
Special thanks
to Frank
Yantorno and
Ciclismo
Classico for
several of
these dazzling
images.
?
For those
of you who are
lovers of
Italian art,
mark your
calendar for
Friday,
September 16th
@ 2pm (EST);?I
will be
speaking at
New York
City's 92nd
Street Y's
Roundtable
forum on ,
exploring the
works of
Caravaggio and
Bernini and
the role they
played in
furthering the
Counter-Reformation as well as their lasting impact on the art,
photography
and cinema of
today. You can
tune in
virtually or,
in case you
are unable to
watch it live,
it will be
recorded.?
?
I hope
you will join
me!
?
Ciao for
now,
?
Carla
?
Please
forward Postcards from the Boot to
fellow lovers
of all things
Italian and
suggest they.
?
In case
you missed it,
check out last
month's
"Postcards"
highlighting ...
especially
since the
August Palio,
the Palio
dell'Assunta,
takes place
this Monday on
Ferragosta.
|
|
|
| ? |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ? |
Postcards
from the Boot
?
|
| ? |
|
|
| ? |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Virginia Butterfield
