| Italy 2008 |
| Siena: il Palio |
| The Palio is the grandiose, magnificent poem of this Siena, and it is the very soul of its people." - Geraldo Righi Parenti |
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| Click on the fazzoletto of the Selva Contrada above to continue to the next Palio Page! |
Siena is composed of 17 neighborhoods, called Contrade...local entities that inspire
great passion among their members. Each Contrada has a history dating back to the
earliest days of the city under the Romans. Twice a year the contrade face off in a
mad horse race in the city's main piazza, the Campo. Three times around a packed
dirt track on bareback...the race lasts 90 seconds and is probably the most important
cultural event in Siena all year. Laden with obscure rules and traditions, the Palio's
winning Contrada spends days afterwards celebrating, while the losing Contrade are
crushed. Grown men cry, the jockeys flee for their lives, and the whole city is hung
over for a week. For the first week of July and the second week of August, Siena is
consumed. Though the Palio has become a huge tourist attraction, the city and her
people don't care. The Palio is for them...the world doesn't matter in those weeks.
great passion among their members. Each Contrada has a history dating back to the
earliest days of the city under the Romans. Twice a year the contrade face off in a
mad horse race in the city's main piazza, the Campo. Three times around a packed
dirt track on bareback...the race lasts 90 seconds and is probably the most important
cultural event in Siena all year. Laden with obscure rules and traditions, the Palio's
winning Contrada spends days afterwards celebrating, while the losing Contrade are
crushed. Grown men cry, the jockeys flee for their lives, and the whole city is hung
over for a week. For the first week of July and the second week of August, Siena is
consumed. Though the Palio has become a huge tourist attraction, the city and her
people don't care. The Palio is for them...the world doesn't matter in those weeks.
The race begins at 7:30 pm, but the parades and panoply of the Corteo Storico begin
much before that. To ensure a good place in the free section in the middle of the
Campo, you must arrive in the early afternoon. We got there at about noon with TJ
and Alexis, and staked out our places near the rail. Over the course of the afternoon
the Campo filled up with people, and we realized that we had chosen our spot
well...we had shade for most of the day.
much before that. To ensure a good place in the free section in the middle of the
Campo, you must arrive in the early afternoon. We got there at about noon with TJ
and Alexis, and staked out our places near the rail. Over the course of the afternoon
the Campo filled up with people, and we realized that we had chosen our spot
well...we had shade for most of the day.
| We wait for the Palio to begin...meanwhile, Vanessa finds one of the sacred white bulls that draws the ancient battle chariot into the Campo near the start of the race. |
| The Campo begins to fill. |
At about 5:30 the festivities begin. The Caribinari start off with a canter, then a
charge around the track, and then the parade begins in earnest. Each Contrada
parades around the Campo's track, with flag jugglers, soldiers in medieval costume,
bands and dignitaries...and most importantly, the Contrada's horse. The drummers,
and flag jugglers have been practicing for weeks for this moment. After the slow
parade of Contrade comes the ancient, ceremonial war chariot, drawn by four white
oxen and carying the city elders. Finally comes the Palio itself...a banner given to the
winning Contrada.
charge around the track, and then the parade begins in earnest. Each Contrada
parades around the Campo's track, with flag jugglers, soldiers in medieval costume,
bands and dignitaries...and most importantly, the Contrada's horse. The drummers,
and flag jugglers have been practicing for weeks for this moment. After the slow
parade of Contrade comes the ancient, ceremonial war chariot, drawn by four white
oxen and carying the city elders. Finally comes the Palio itself...a banner given to the
winning Contrada.
| The charge of the Caribinari |
| Horses, bands and soldiers |
| Siena knights in the light of day |
| Flag jugglers |
| The war chariot approaches! |
| At last...the Palio banner enters the Campo, and we're ready to start! |