The Sechsiläuten is a traditional spring celebration in Zürich. It's held every year on the third Monday in April. Most shops close early for this holiday, and kids get half a day off school. At 3pm the members of the historical guilds (called 'Zünfte') leave their guildhouses in traditional costumes, with carts and horses, and join together for a big parade around the inner city. Hundreds of spectators watch whilst the Zunftleute march past, depicting the history of their guild. Marchmusic plays, sweets, flowers, bread and even sausages and fish are thrown into the crowd.
At the end of the parade waits the 'Böögg' - a puppet, personificating winter - , and at 6pm sharp the bonfire under his feet is lit. Everybody waits for the big explosion that will take his head off, for the sooner this happens, the better the summer will be, or so the saying goes.
Sechsiläuten has nothing to do with sexy people, but with the bells of the churches which started ringing for people to stop their work at 6pm after changing to summer time in march.
But... enough of the talking ;o)
Those two are ready! :o)
And this is how it sounds:
A short break after the parade:
Everybody is waiting for the Böögg to burn!
This year we're gonna have a good summer. 12 minutes and 54 seconds, and off with the head!
Afterwards: Preparations for grilling:
This is how it works: Grab your long shovel, pull up your hood, and - run!
0 Comments:
Post a Comment