The Game of the Bridge will take place Saturday, June 29, 2024. It is one of the highlights of June Pisano, along with the Luminara and the Palio.

THE GAME

Every last Saturday in June, twelve teams of twenty players face each other pushing hard and using their legs and neck, but not their arms, a heavy trolley that runs on rails, positioned in the center of the Ponte di Mezzo on the Lungarni.

The goal is to advance until the flag of the enemy faction falls. The Game of the Bridge provides 6 fights and the eventual playoff.

An ancient tradition but probably today’s challenge comes from the ancient game of Mazzascudo, a very violent fight that took place in the Piazza delle Sette Vie, or Piazza dei Cavalieri. A battling city like Pisa had to keep its men constantly trained. The first version of the Game of the Bridge would be this fight played on the Old Bridge, the current Middle Bridge.

Today the 12 magistratures, divided into two parts of 6 magistratures each, called Mezzogiorno and Tramontana, no longer face each other with swords, shields and that violence that characterized the ancient version but the strong desire to prevail in a challenge that gives great prestige to the winning teams.

The challenges can last from a few seconds to over twenty minutes: this is the time that a court can take to overpower the direct opponent. In order not to miss these moments full of adrenaline and have the best view, the Pisans are pouring on the shoulders of the riverside very soon, while the parade of over 700 people in costume sixteenth century, which serves as an appetizer to the main event of the day. For one evening, in short, the lungarni host a spectacle of great scenic suggestion that takes you back to other eras, still alive in the spirit of the city, still rightly felt as a boast.

Timetable. On Saturday 29 June the day will start at 6.00 p.m. with the picket on the squares adjacent to the Ponte di Mezzo; at 7.00 p.m. the start of the 'Exhibition of the Parties' on the Lungarni and at 9.00 p.m. the start of the 'Disfida del Ponte'.

TICKET SALES INFORMATION

Cost: €5.00 (a maximum of 4 tickets per person can be purchased)

Tickets will be sold by the Teatro Verdi in Pisa (Via Palestro 40), you can buy tickets online at www.vivaticket.com (with presale fee) or at the theatre box office.

N.B. one hour before the opening of the box office, a numbering system will be activated to regulate access to the counter. The numbers issued are valid for the opening round only. The Fondazione Teatro Pisa mom is responsible for any prior spontaneous lists or queues. 

Tickets available in advance from TUESDAY 25 JUNE AT 11:00 AM.

BOX OFFICE HOURS

• Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. 
• Thursday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• Friday 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
• Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

For further information: +39 050 941111 | biglietteria@teatrodipisa.it 

To know the complete calendar of the Giugno Pisano: https://www.turismo.pisa.it/en/eventi/giugno-pisano-2024

TRAFFIC CHANGES:

In order to allow one of the city's most important traditions, the Gioco del Ponte, which closes the Giugno Pisano, to take place, a number of traffic and parking changes will be necessary both on the days preceding and following the day of the event, scheduled for Saturday 29 June.

Parking will be prohibited, with forced removal, from 12 noon on 29 June to 10 a.m. on 30 June in the following areas: Lungarno Pacinotti, Lungarno Mediceo, Lungarno Galilei, Lungarno Gambacorti, Piazza XX Settembre, Piazza Garibaldi and Piazza del Pozzetto.

Prohibition of vehicular transit from 13:00 on 29 June to 02:00 on 30 June in the following areas: Lungarno Pacinotti, Lungarno Mediceo, Ponte della Fortezza west side lane, Lungarno Galilei, Lungarno Gambacorti.

From 6.00 p.m. on 29 June until the end of the historical procession, the prohibition of vehicular transit will be extended to the following streets: Lungarno Pacinotti (stretch from Via Santa Maria to Ponte Solferino), Lungarno Fibonacci, Ponte della Fortezza (both lanes) and Ponte Solferino.

It is also necessary to: Reverse the direction of Piazza San Sepolcro. Establish one-way alternating traffic on Via Flaminio Dal Borgo. Repeal the pedestrian area on Via San Martino, section from Vicolo del Moro to Corso Italia, and on Via Toselli, section from Corso Italia to Via Garofani. Establish alternating one-way traffic on Via Toselli, section from Via Garofani to Via dell'Occhio. To institute a ban on entering all the streets and alleys on the Lungarni subject to the measure.

No parking with forced removal on both sides, including cycles and motorbikes in: Via Gori, section between Via San Martino and Via del Carmine. Via San Martino, section between the intersection with via Gori and Corso Italia. Piazza San Martino, section of the counter boulevard between the Church and Via San Martino. Via del Carmine, section between Via Gori and Corso Italia. Via San Francesco, section between Via Buonarroti and Borgo Stretto.

Public areas. From 5.00 p.m. to 7.30 p.m. (and in any case until all requirements cease) on 29 June, the following areas must be kept free of any artefacts (chairs, tables, umbrellas, displays, etc.) placed on public land: via Gori, via Carmine, via San Martino, piazza San Martino, via San Martino, via Banchi, piazza XX Settembre, via San Francesco (from the church to the church, and in any case until all requirements cease). ) placed on public ground the following areas: via Gori, via del Carmine, via San Martino, piazza San Martino, via di Banchi, piazza XX Settembre, via San Francesco (from the church to via Buonarroti), via Buonarroti, via San Lorenzo, via Rigattieri, via Oberdan, Borgo Stretto, piazza Garibaldi, piazza del Pozzetto. In addition, from 3.00 p.m. on 29 June and until the end of the event, pedestrian and vehicular transit will be interdicted in via di Banchi and piazza XX Settembre. From 07:00 on 29 June and until the end of the event, the entire area of Piazza Garibaldi shall be completely free of any occupation of public ground. From 3.00 p.m. on 29 June, pedestrian transit is forbidden in Piazza Garibaldi.

To allow the horses to be transferred: no parking on both sides with forced removal in Piazza Toniolo between house number 5 and the intersection with Piazza Guerrazzi in the North/South direction, from 8 a.m. on 28 June to 2 a.m. on 30 June.

Unloading and loading of costumes: no parking with forced removal from 8.00 a.m. on 27 June to 6.00 p.m. on 3 July in Via Gori (in correspondence with the "Zerboglio" primary school), Via San Francesco (stretch between the "Damiano Chiesa" primary school and the junction with Via Buonarroti) and Via Francesco da Buti (left-hand side for the first five parking bays in front of the Stazione Leopolda).

Parking spaces reserved for TV operators and guests: no parking with forced removal from 2.00 p.m. on 29 June to 2.00 a.m. on 30 June in via Toselli (left side) and via Curtatone Montanara (both sides up to intersection with via Tanucci).

Parking prohibition with forced removal from 08:00 on 28 June to 10:00 on 30 June in Piazza del Pozzetto and Piazza del Carmine for velocipedes, scooters and rack removal.

The timing and modalities of the closures may be subject to change at any time by the Municipal Police and the Police Force.