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Florence, Italy, boasts one of the most thrilling Easter traditions out there. Known as Scoppio del Carro, the name translates to “Explosion of the cart,” and it features an exciting fireworks display in one of the most architecturally rich sites in the world. Every Easter Sunday, a centuries-old cart is packed with pyrotechnics and lit up. As delightful as it is seeing the cart shoot lights, an insightful video reveals that the way the cart is fired up is an equally mesmerizing spectacle.
On Easter Sunday, the cardinal holding mass at the Duomo of Florence lights up the Colombina, a small device shaped like a dove that symbolizes the Holy Spirit. The Colombina then “flies” along a long wire that goes from the top of the altar through the church nave and out the cathedral doors where the cart awaits. It then lights up the pyrotechnics, unleashing a firework display before zipping right inside.
The tradition dates back to the First Crusade in the year 1099, when Crusaders laid siege to Jerusalem, intending to claim it for Christianity. Pazzino de’ Pazzi, originally from Florence, was the first to climb the city walls, being rewarded with three flints from the Holy Sepulchre for his bravery. Today, these are kept in the nearby Church of Santi Apostoli and are used to light the candle that will fire up the Colombina. The rite evokes how, during Easter in Jerusalem, Crusaders gave the blessed fire to the people as a sign of purification.
The Scoppio del Carro has held the same form since the 15th century. The tower of pyrotechnics, known by locals as Brindellone, is drawn by four oxen as a procession goes from the Church of Santi Apostoli to the Duomo. If the light show goes smoothly, it’s seen as a sign of luck and prosperity, a symbol of a good harvest for farmers around Florence. And it’s an even luckier sign if the Colombina safely makes it back to its starting point inside the Duomo of Florence.
A video captured by travel guide Dimitra Neonaki during Easter 2024 shows the moment the Colombina zips out the door to light up the Brindellone and comes back in a swift, fiery motion. Judging by how packed the church seems to be, it may be a far more coveted seat than a spot to catch the fireworks display outside. You can check out both perspectives in the videos below, and stay tuned for more videos coming out of the Scoppio del Carro for Easter 2025.
On Easter Sunday, Florence celebrates the Scoppio del Carro, an exciting fireworks display in one of the most architecturally rich sites in the world.
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A small device shaped like a dove is lit and zipped outside the Duomo of Florence using a wire, in turn lighting the cart loaded with fireworks that awaits outside.
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Sources: Easter in Florence: the Scoppio del Carro (Explosion of the Cart); Dimitra, The Culture Muse on Instagram; Growing Up Italian on Instagram.
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