The name of the jockeys are confirmed and cannot be substituted from that point on.Īt around 3 p.m. within the Palazzo Comunale and in the presence of the mayor, the "segnatura dei fantini" takes place. Shortly after the mass the last trial takes place in Piazza del Campo, the one called "provaccia".Īt 10.30 a.m. On the day of the Palio race the city is in full turmoil and the entire day is dedicated to the event.Īround 8 a.m., in the chapel next to the Palazzo Comunale, the Bishop celebrates the "Messa del fantino" or mass for the horse jockeys. The Palio prize is called " Drappellone" or large drape, a large painted canvas each year designed and created by a different artist and which the winning contrada displays in their contrada museum. The jockeys always mount their horses without a saddle. The fifth trial, the one run the evening prior to the official Palio, is called the "prova generale" or general trial, while the last which takes place the morning of the main race, is called " provaccia" or bad trial given the little effort the jockeys put into it in order to avoid tiring the horses too much. Therefore, each of the Contrade picks their jockey but not the horse the horses are drawn and only known at this time, just 4 days before the race!īefore the official race there are 6 trial runs or heats, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. The first day is for the " Tratta", or the drawing of the lots and assignment of the horses to each of the Contrade. The Palio actually takes place over 4 days, the race taking place on the fourth day. Ten out of the seventeen contrade take part in each race: seven are those that did not participate in the previous race on that day, while the other three are drawn by lots. The Palio horse race takes place twice a year, one the 2nd of July ( Palio of Provenzano, in honor of the Madonna of Provenzano) and on August 16th ( Palio of the Assumption, in honor of the Virgin Mary's Assumption).ĭuring this special occasion, the main square in Siena, the Piazza del Campo, is prepared for the race as the ring around the square is covered with tuff clay. Entrance to the center of the Piazza del Campi is free but it gets packed!! Tickets are purchased directly from those who organize the stands, the private terraces or travel agencies that organize packages. SPECIAL NOTE: There is no official box office for the tickets to the palio. Below is a highlight of some of the main rules and traditions of the Palio, which should be useful in better understanding the event. The Palio is a pretty complex event that has gained additional rules through the centuries, as well as traditions and customs, many which only members of the contrada are aware of. The Sienese live the Palio with great passion and you'll certainly be able to see this if you have the chance to attend one of the races. Each person belongs to a Contrada, participates in the life of the Contrada and the organization of the Palio throughout the entire year. The Palio is much more than a simple event for the Sienese, it actually is a large part of their lives since the time of their birth. The Palio horse race has its origins in the distant past, with historical records indicating horse races in Siena already taking place in the 6th century. Much like street signs, corners often designate the entrance into a different Contrada with signs as the ones in the picture below. As one walks through the streets of Siena it is easy to know in which Contrada you currently are in by observing the flags and emblems displayed along the street. The 17 Contrade which still exist today are: the Eagle, Snail, Wave, Panther, Forest, Tortoise, Owl, Unicorn, Shell, Tower, Ram, Caterpillar, Dragon, Giraffe, Porcupine, She-Wolf and the Goose.Įach Contrada has its own unique emblem and colors and represents an area of the city. Originally, there were about fifty-nine "Contrade" now only seventeen remain, ten of which take part in the historical pageant and in the race at each Palio (seven by right and three drawn by lots). In the Palio, the various Sienese "contrade", or areas in which the city is divided, challenge each other in a passionate horse race in the heart of the city in the Piazza del Campo. The Palio is the most important event in Siena, taking place on July 2 and August 16 every year.
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