Calcio storico fiorentino
Early form of football still played in Florence, Italy
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Key Takeaways
- Calcio storico fiorentino , also known as calcio storico or calcio in livrea , is an early form of football that originated during the Middle Ages in Italy and is still played in Florence.
- There it became known as the giuoco del calcio fiorentino or simply calcio , which is now also the name for association football in the Italian language.
- It is organised during the celebrations of St.
- History Renaissance era According to the legend, playing violent games was a way to train young soldiers, and calcio was born out of this rugby-like military training when the aristocrats turned it into a fully-fledged sport.
- The "noble game" was played in Piazza Santa Croce, only by distinguished soldiers, lords, noblemen and princes.
Calcio storico fiorentino, also known as calcio storico or calcio in livrea, is an early form of football that originated during the Middle Ages in Italy and is still played in Florence. Once widely played, the sport is thought to have started in the Piazza Santa Croce in Florence. There it became known as the giuoco del calcio fiorentino or simply calcio, which is now also the name for association football in the Italian language. The game may have started as a revival of the Roman sport of harpastum.
It is organised during the celebrations of St. John the Baptist, with the final held annually on 24 June, the saint's feast day.
History
Renaissance era
According to the legend, playing violent games was a way to train young soldiers, and calcio was born out of this rugby-like military training when the aristocrats turned it into a fully-fledged sport.
On another famous occasion, the city of Florence held a match on 17 February 1530, in defiance of the imperial troops sent by Emperor Charles V, as the city was under siege. The "noble game" was played in Piazza Santa Croce, only by distinguished soldiers, lords, noblemen and princes.
A version of rules for the game were first recorded by Giovanni de' Bardi in the late 16th century.
Modern revival
Interest in calcio waned in the early 17th century. However, in 1930 it was reorganised as a game in the Kingdom of Italy, under Benito Mussolini. It was widely played by amateurs in streets and squares using handmade balls of cloth or animal skin. Today, three matches are played each year in Piazza Santa Croce, in Florence, in the third week of June. A team from each quartiere of the city is represented:
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