BANDIERAI DEGLI UFFIZI FIRENZE A MILANO STAZIONE CENTRALE

The Bandierai degli Uffizi are the official flag-wavers of Florence, born in the early 60s within the Historical Parade of the Florentine Republic and the Florentine historical football, the traditional game of Florence. During 2008 they celebrated the 35th anniversary of the foundation of the group, which was set up for re-enactment-recreational purposes with members of Florentine citizenship. Throughout the year 2013 they celebrated their 40th year of uninterrupted activity by creating, in addition to other important initiatives, a Documentary-Film lasting 30 minutes and a Celebratory book, both with the title: I Bandierai degli Uffizi, Official Flag-wavers of Florence.

They represent a precise historical period and an analytical reference bearing, printed on their flags, the main Magistracies and Offices existing in the Florentine Republic of the sixteenth century. Unique to represent Florence for the precise historical significance of the costumes and insignia, they can include attendance at numerous and important sporting and historical-re-evocative events, in Italy and abroad.

In addition to the traditional scenographic and athletic presence, the cultural motivations that animate the Bandierai degli Uffizi are fundamental. They represent the origins of football from the very beginning. Present several times at the Columbus Day celebrations in America, the group showed all its skills also in Rome for the opening of the Olympics and the European Football Championships, in Barcelona in Spain for the Mundial and again in Japan and Brazil, in name not only of the Calcio Storico Fiorentino but of the city of the lily itself.

The Bandierai degli Uffizi perform mainly on the days of traditional Florentine festivities and among them we mention:

Cavalcade of the Magi (Epiphany)
Florentine New Year (March 25)
Bursting of the Cart (Easter)
Marzocco Trophy - (flag-wavers competition - May)
Calcio Storico Fiorentino (24 June, feast of the patron saint St. John)
Feast of Santa Reparata (8 October);
Christmas gifts (December).
Because of their presence, they are the only ones to represent Florence institutionally. They handle flags which, in addition to carrying the Guelph Lily of Florence in the center, have laterally represented the 16 Magistracies and Uffizi of Renaissance Florence at the time of the 16th century Republic. Originally, each flag bore the insignia of one of the Magistracies; since 2002 they have passed to what is the current appearance of the banners, divided into two types, each representing 8 of the 16 original Magistracies.

The Bandierai degli Uffizi are the only custodians of the Florentine art of the flag, with the maintenance of the more traditional and rigid re-enactment of the "ways and manners", both scenographic and athletic, of the handling of the flag for military purposes of the Renaissance.

The historical origin of the flag waving can be traced in the exercises that the standard bearers of the ancient armies underwent with their banner to keep fit. The flag was carried out during particular celebrations.

Source: WIKIPEDIA