Celebrating the Carabinieri

One of my favorite things about living in Lucca is that so often one just stumbles across an interesting celebration, festival, performance, or activity.  The big events are publicized in advance, but often the smaller ones are not and so coming across one is always a pleasant surprise.

Ceremonial uniform with plumed hat (Liberation Day, April 2024).

 One day earlier this month (June 2024) as I was out and about running errands, I came across a big gathering in Piazza Napoleone, Lucca’s largest piazza.  There were speakers and flowers, a red carpet, and lots of Carabinieri in dress uniforms.  Curious, I had to find out what the event was all about.  What I discovered is that June 5th is the Giornata Nationale dell’Arma del Carabinieri (National Carabinieri Day).  The event marks the day the Medaglio d’Oro (Gold Medal for military valor) was awarded to the Carabinieri for service in World War I.

The carabinieri have a special function in Italian policing.  They function both as a civil police force, catching criminals, quelling riots, performing rescues, and maintaining public safety.  But they are also military police and so function as a branch of the armed services too. Serious business being a member of the carabinieri!

Historical image of a long-ago Carabinieri

The Carabinieri have been around for a long time, ever since their formation by King Vittorio Emanuele I in 1814.  Their name comes from the weapon they carried, the carbine. They also carry some pretty impressive swords.

There have long been strict regulations for how the force dressed. No doubt they have always cut a dashing figure. But I’ll bet those early uniforms were far less comfortable than the modern ones.

Photo adapted from official Italian Presidential Press site

Today, the Italian Carabinieri are considered to be among the best dressed police force in the world (just think about how many Facebook photos of attractive uniformed carabinieri are posted).

After all, Georgio Armani had a hand in designing the modern uniforms.  The mix of the Italian “bella figura” Armani style along with the distinguished military presence is a combination that is pretty hard to beat!

On June 5th the celebration included not only uniformed Carabinieri but uniformed soldiers and a collection of vehicles used in police and military work over the years. The display included bicycles (complete with rifle mounts) and several vintage motorcycles.  The cars were much more sophisticated - included were an elegant Lancia and a Balilla Spider from the 1930’s along with a progression of more modern, but much less elegant, service vehicles. 

Stumbling across this celebration was unexpected and provided a chance to learn some interesting facts about the carabinieri.  All on a beautiful spring day in Lucca.

Gentleman Drivers and Gourmands: A Classic Car Rally in Italy

 The Terre di Canossa is a prestigious rally for classic cars that takes place in northern Italy’s villages and mountain passes before ending at the sea. According to the event’s literature, only 100 entries are accepted for the race and all cars must be from the years 1919 through 1976.  Polished and ready to roll, the cars are gorgeous and the drivers have an air of mystery, elegance, and wealth. 

The event is named after Matilde di Canossa, an intriguing figure from the Middle Ages. A sort of warrior-queen, Matilde ruled a large swath of Italy, including what are now the regions of Emilia-Romagna, Lombardy, and Tuscany - all from her castle in the town of Canossa. Unique for her times, she was an independent woman and a bit scandalous. She left an arranged marriage, later married a teenage duke (while she was in her 40s) and is rumored to have been the paramour of a pope. Today, she is remembered with a monument in St. Peter’s Cathedral in Rome (designed by Bernini no less), a golf course that bears her name in Emilia-Romagna, and the Terre di Canossa classic car event. Somehow I believe that the classic cars would be her favorite of these tributes!

The race takes place over several days with stops in different cities to display the cars and make an overnight stay. And while the days are for driving, the nights are for food and wine, with the event billed as being for “gentleman drivers and gourmands.” I did, however, see a few gentlewomen among the drivers.

When the route passed through Lucca, the cars arrived to the fanfare of drummers and flag bearers in Medieval garb. After a stop in Piazza Napoleone to show off the cars to the gathered crowd, they set off for a circuit atop a the ancient city walls.  And then it was off to the next phase of the road race.

And while my knowledge of classic cars is limited, I recognized the names - Fiat, Porsche, BMW, Austin-Healey, Lancia, Alfa Romeo - and I appreciated their sleek beauty.

Just imagine driving through Italy in one of these cars - can you feel the wind in your hair?   -Post by JMB