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The Luminara di San Ranieri is one of the highlights of Giugno Pisano, the festivities held in honour of Pisa's patron saint. On the evening of 16 June, the eve of St Ranieri's Day, around 100,000 wax candles are meticulously placed in white-painted wooden frames (known locally as 'biancheria') to outline the architectural silhouette of the buildings and churches along the banks of the Arno.
Along the river, a number of floating platforms serve as launching pads for the spectacular firework display scheduled for before midnight. The celebrations in honour of the patron saint continue the following day on the waters of the Arno, where the Palio di San Ranieri is held.
The tradition of the Luminara dates back to 25 March 1688, when the urn containing the body of Ranieri degli Scaccieri, the city’s patron saint who died in 1161, was solemnly placed in the chapel of Pisa Cathedral. The transfer of the casket provided the occasion for a memorable city celebration, from which, according to tradition, the customary ‘illumination’ – which in the 19th century came to be known as the Luminara – originated.
