Visiting Siena and The Palio

Visiting Siena and The Palio

Italy is home to many cultural events, including this globally renowned horse race, the Palio, that happens semiannually in Siena. It is an incredible opportunity to immerse yourself in Italian culture and history by visiting Siena and experiencing the Palio. The atmosphere is exhilarating, and the Palio will exceed all your expectations, even for those who are not familiar with racing.

What is the Palio di Siena?

The Palio di Siena is a horse race event that takes place on July 2nd and August 16th every year. The two palios are named the Palio di Provenzano to honor the Madonna of Provenzano, and the second palio is called the Palio dell’ Assunta to honor the Assumption of Mary. People from all over gather in Siena, in Piazza del Campo, to watch these races and the week-long events that take place leading up to this event. The Palio di Siena is one of the oldest, dating back to medieval times, and still retains its traditions and rituals.

Background and History

The ‘Contrade’

To understand the Palio, it is first important to have some preliminary information on the contrade (plural for contrada). The riders each represent a Sienese Contrada. Originally, contrada signified a designated area of land within the city, such as a district, yet over time, it came to mean an admissible governing body of the district rather than the land itself. This caused disputes amongst each Contrada as they argued over their ownership and territory; eventually, they settled on 17 districts in the 16th century. The districts often participate in various competitions, such as bull riding, combative games, and other recreational games.  Nowadays, the contrade have formed a society to create social events and meetings. They participate in preserving and spreading their cultural heritage.

The Palio

The Palio is derived from pallium in Latin and denotes a piece of cloth like a banner that has an ornate painting on it. The Palio of Siena took its name because the reward for the winners is a palio, a piece of cloth that has the date of the race and usually a drawing of the Holy Mary on it. Each palio is created by a local artist chosen by the community.

The Race


The idea of the race originated in medieval times when the Piazza dell Campo was used for recreational activities and bullfighting. The Grand Duke of Tuscany eventually banned these activities, so the Palio took place instead. They originally used to ride on bulls and donkeys, but eventually, the public enjoyed horses the most. Initially, it was tied to the religious rites of the assumption, offering the candle called Palio alla lunga. The race used Berber purebred noble horses in the race and throughout the year, but it went into decline after the abolishment of the Sienese republic in 1559. Then, in 1605, the Palio was reintroduced to celebrate Pope Paul V election. The Palio could not take place once in July due to the plague and the nobility not wanting to send their horses to Siena for fear of contamination.  The Sienese people held a Palio alla tonda on August 16, a circular palio on the Piazza del Campo, for the first time in 1633. Since then, both palios have been taking place.

Race Structure

Despite there being 17 contrade, only ten are selected to race each year; the 7 not selected automatically raced the consecutive year, with the other three chosen by draw. Before the race, festivities ensue and flags of all the contrada parade the city. The race itself lasts only 90 seconds—three rounds of the piazza—but the atmosphere and events surrounding the race are just as thrilling. The night before the Prova Generale,  a practice run, occurs, followed by la cena della Prova Generale, a large dinner hosted by each contrada for their members on the streets and squares of Siena. At the seat of the central table sits the jockey, captain, Prior of the Contrada, and other key members. Siena comes alive with the signing of the contrade anthems and feasts along the streets.

Race track map credit: ilpalio.org

On the day of the race, the horses are taken to their local church to be blessed, and honors are bestowed upon them for good luck in the race.

The race occurs at 7:30 pm in July and 7pm in August, but the festivities start days in advance. People start gathering in the Piazza del Campo in the morning, waiting all day for the race. There are pageants and parades with contrade members who wear medieval costumes to honor this tradition.

Visiting Siena During the Palio

The palio is one of the most authentic Italian experiences, and you can see it for free in the Piazza dell Campo. People start congregating there from the morning until the time of the race, so just be prepared for a large crowd. Alternatively, you can purchase tickets in the balcony stands surrounding the piazza on the day the tickets will be available here

For more information on Siena and the Palio di Siena, visit:

https://visitsienaofficial.it/en/

https://www.comune.siena.it

www.ilpalio.org

Article by Easy Milano editorial staff

Featured image by M Rohanna

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