IGNIS Spring 2016 | Page 7

Photos: ©Rolan

d Fischer, Züric

)
h (Switzerland

Sechseläuten is a spring holiday celebration in Zurich, usually on the
third Monday in April. In mediaeval wintertimes people worked while
there was daylight, but following the spring equinox “Sechseläuten”
(the six o'clock ringing of the bells) across the city marked the time
to stop work. The modern Sechselauten celebration culminates in
the burning of Winter in the form of a bonfire on which sits a Böögg;
a figure of a snowman full of explosives!

C H E C K OU T T H E S E L I N K S TO B E G I N YOU R S E A RC H FOR
OT H E R S P R I N G T R A D I T ION S A ROU N D T H E WOR L D :
Easter eggs http://www.theholidayspot.com/

Watch the shadow snake slither up the
pyramid at the equinox in Chichén Itzá,
Mexico http://www.lonelyplanet.com/mexico/

easter/history/icons/easter_egg.htm

Fireworks and Sculpture Festival in Spain
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/spain/valencia-andmurcia/valencia/travel-tips-and-articles/76344

yucatan-peninsula/chichen-itza/travel-tips-andarticles/76346

Spring Festivals in Japan http://www.

Shakespeare’s 400th Anniversary
kcpstudentlife.com/festivals/spring/

Daffodils,

That come before the swallow dares, and take
The winds of March with beauty: violets, dim,
But sweeter than the lids of Juno’s eyes
Or Cytherea’s breath: pale primroses

That die unmarried, ere they can behold

Bright Phoebus in his strength—a malady
Most incident to maids: bold oxlips and
The crown imperial: lilies of all kinds,
The flower-de-luce being one.

(Act IV, Scene 4) A Winter’s Tale
William Shakespeare (1564-1616)

This spring brings the 400th
anniversary of the death of
William Shakespeare. The
weekend of April 23rd-24th will
see celebrations across the world,
from an extravaganza version of
the annual birthday celebration in
Stratford-upon-Avon, to a pop-up
cinema organised by the Globe
Theatre, taking place on the South
Bank. The “Complete Walk” takes
place over 2.5 miles of the Thames
path between Westminster Bridge
and London Bridge and will host
37 screens, each showing a
specially commissioned 10 minute
film with scenes and information
about one of Shakespeare’s plays.
The films will loop for the entire

weekend of 23rd – 24th April,
but you need to leave plenty of
time to visit as just watching all
the films will take 6 hours, not
including walking along the path,
moving from screen to screen!

www.shakespearesglobe.com/400
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