| Italy 2008 |
| Siena: il Palio |
| ""The Palio is three minutes with your heart in your throat, four days of breathlessness, a lifetime of breathing in rich lungfuls." - Stefano Bisi |
 |  |  |  |
| Click on the fazzoletto of the victorious Istrice Contrada above to return to the main Siena page. |
The parade is done, the Palio banner is prepared and the horses are blessed. The
roar of a cannon startles the crowd, and the bell in the tower, which has been ringing
for hours, falls silent. It is time.
The horses and jockeys advance down the track, circling for the crowd. Then the
Mossa, the starting ceremony, begins. One by one the horses are called to the line
by random lot...the Contrade are loud in reactions to the starting order. The riders
jostle at the line, but one horse holds back. The race will not start until this rider, the
Rincorsa, charges the field. The tension mounts...the horses play for space...the
Rincorsa delays, threatens and retreats. And then, with the city straining, ready for
release...they are called off and the Mossa starts anew. This happens several times.
roar of a cannon startles the crowd, and the bell in the tower, which has been ringing
for hours, falls silent. It is time.
The horses and jockeys advance down the track, circling for the crowd. Then the
Mossa, the starting ceremony, begins. One by one the horses are called to the line
by random lot...the Contrade are loud in reactions to the starting order. The riders
jostle at the line, but one horse holds back. The race will not start until this rider, the
Rincorsa, charges the field. The tension mounts...the horses play for space...the
Rincorsa delays, threatens and retreats. And then, with the city straining, ready for
release...they are called off and the Mossa starts anew. This happens several times.
| The riders advance to the start. |
| The riders circle until they are called to the line, one Contrada at a time. Then, if the master of ceremonies isn't happy, they start the Mossa over, circling and waiting for the start. |
Finally, when the air is thick with the hopes of the Sienese and the impatience of
tourists, the Rincorsa charges in earnest, the rope drops and they are off! Three
circuits of the Campo, with its shell shape and two 90 degree bends, at full gallop.
Riders tumble at the turns, but it matters not...only the horse need finish to win.
tourists, the Rincorsa charges in earnest, the rope drops and they are off! Three
circuits of the Campo, with its shell shape and two 90 degree bends, at full gallop.
Riders tumble at the turns, but it matters not...only the horse need finish to win.
They thunder past us, the issue in doubt until the last turn when the trailing rider cuts
too close to a pylon and spills from the race. The cannon sounds again, and it is the
Istrice...the Contrada of the Porcupine...loud in victory! Losing Contrade collapse
into each other's arms, inconsolable. The winners rush to their heroes, horse and
rider, and hold aloft the Madonna of the Palio. They sweep from the Campo, headed
back to their Contrada hall for a blessing and a dinner before a long night of parading
around the city. Throughout the night, and the next several days, they will march the
streets, blaring with drum and bugle, announcing their supremacy. Proud denizens of
the victorious Contrada have these days off of work in order to join in the celebratory
parades. They will carry baby pacifiers tied to their fazzolettos to symbolize their
Contrada's rebirth through victory...enured against dishonor for a year. The Palio
banner itself will hang in the Istrice's Contrada Museum, along with centuries of
accumulated trophies and pride.
too close to a pylon and spills from the race. The cannon sounds again, and it is the
Istrice...the Contrada of the Porcupine...loud in victory! Losing Contrade collapse
into each other's arms, inconsolable. The winners rush to their heroes, horse and
rider, and hold aloft the Madonna of the Palio. They sweep from the Campo, headed
back to their Contrada hall for a blessing and a dinner before a long night of parading
around the city. Throughout the night, and the next several days, they will march the
streets, blaring with drum and bugle, announcing their supremacy. Proud denizens of
the victorious Contrada have these days off of work in order to join in the celebratory
parades. They will carry baby pacifiers tied to their fazzolettos to symbolize their
Contrada's rebirth through victory...enured against dishonor for a year. The Palio
banner itself will hang in the Istrice's Contrada Museum, along with centuries of
accumulated trophies and pride.
We wound our way from the Campo and to a small restaurant, where we had made
reservations. A great idea, as it turned out (score one for Vanessa), for we saw
many people turned away while we ate in peace. We ate, drank, and listened to the
city around us roil in post-Palio celebrations and commiserations. There isn't
anything else like it in the world...and we were lucky to see it. We took a midnight
gelato in the Piazza Matteotti to the tattoo of the drums, bade goodnight to our
friends, and headed down the hill to our bed and breakfast...tired but happy.
reservations. A great idea, as it turned out (score one for Vanessa), for we saw
many people turned away while we ate in peace. We ate, drank, and listened to the
city around us roil in post-Palio celebrations and commiserations. There isn't
anything else like it in the world...and we were lucky to see it. We took a midnight
gelato in the Piazza Matteotti to the tattoo of the drums, bade goodnight to our
friends, and headed down the hill to our bed and breakfast...tired but happy.
