Il Palio Siena

The Palio is the most important event in Siena! The Tuscans take this so seriously that there are countless hospitalizations each year due to angry losers and boasting winners getting violent. You think you've seen rage at an Italian soccer match? Wait to you see this.

Beautiful Siena

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.

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).

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.

I am a proud Giraffe! and having spent my whole life visiting our family home in Siena and watching this race each year I must say it NEVER gets old or dull. Some of the best memories of my life were here in this square cheering on our horse, drinking wine and running loose with my friends.

Each Contrada has its own unique emblem and colors and represents an area of the city. 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. Whena contrada loses DONT walk into their contrada wearing the winners colors unless you enjoy fighting LOL.

How the Piazza looks before its filled

Waiting for the festivities

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 Palio has so much history its too much to explain here but do yourself a favor and read up on the origins of this crazy race. But I'll explian the process of it all :) I AM A MASSIVE HISTORY BUFF SO I LOVE THIS STUFF!

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).

During 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.

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 actually takes place over 4 days, the race taking place on the fourth day. The first day is for the "Tratta", or the drawing of the lots and assignment of the horses to each of the Contrade. This is exciting! You stand around the clock tower and as each bell rings a flag is dropped signaling the horse that will run. People go NUTS waiting eagerly to see if their flag will be drawn.

The contrade picks their jockeys but NOT their horse. The horses are drawn at random and you only know which horse you will get 4 days before the race!

Proud Horse coming Through. Notice how far back people follow? As to not startle him or crowd his precious space The horses of the Palio race might as well be royalty! Its amazing the level of respect and love the recieve.

Before the official race there are 6 trial runs or heats, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. 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. The jockeys always mount their horses WITHOUT a saddle.

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.

How the Piazza loks after tis filled!

On the day of the Palio race the city is in full turmoil and the entire day is dedicated to the event.

Packed to the Max. Doesnt even look like the same square you see above.

Around 8 a.m., in the chapel next to the Palazzo Comunale, the Bishop celebrates the "Messa del fantino" or mass for the horse jockeys (YES THE HAVE A MASS DEDICATED TO THEM!) Shortly after the mass the last trial takes place in Piazza del Campo, the one called "provaccia".

My contrada

At 10.30 a.m. within the Palazzo Comunale and in the presence of the mayor, the "segnatura dei fantini" takes place. The name of the jockeys are confirmed and cannot be substituted from that point on.

Whoop whoop!

At around 3 p.m. each Contrada performs a blessing ceremony of its horse and afterwards joins in the large parade in historical costume, with over 600 participants, that winds through the city. The parade arrives around 5 p.m. at the Piazza del Campo, and ends by around 6.30-7 p.m. Shortly thereafter the explosion of a firecracker signals the entrance of the horses into the piazza. As the jockeys come out, each one receives a whip made out of ox sinew which they can use to prod their horse or to irrate the other opponents in the race. Yep, you can hit an opponents horse :( talk about playing dirty!

Getting pumped

The race starts off in the "Mossa", an area set up on the piazza delimited by two long pieces of thick rope. The "Mossiere" then calls the Contrade in the order in which they were drawn and checks that the assigned positions are respected. The first 9 Contrade take up their assigned positions in the area between the two ropes, while the last one, the tenth, enters this area at a running gallop thus signaling the start of the race. This only happens when this last Contrada decides to make the attempt to start off the race.

If the start is not considered valid (this is the case if the jockeys are not in their assigned spots), a shot goes out to signal the jockeys to get back into place. This starting phase within the "Mossa" is super super complicated, as the space is small and the horses are right next to each other. Rivalries run deep within the Contrade and competition is high and the worst result is to see the "enemy" Contrada win the race. Therefore the wait for the start of the race is extremely long and can last into twilight. I once saw this go on for THREE hours, and its super normal for it to go that long or even longer. Sit back with your bag of wine and relax lol.

If all goes well the start of the race can start at any time. The horses must run three laps around the Campo, overcoming dangerous points such as the very narrow curve of San Martino where collisions between the wall and between horses have led to many falls in the past (the main reason why many animal activists oppose the Palio).

The first horse that crosses the finish line, even if he arrives without his jockey, wins the race.

So to give you a bit of context on who is the real start of the show the Tuscans and lovers of this race do not really care about the jockey. While they ride the horse THEY dont actually win. They get no orize, no praise and if they are thrown from their horse in the race people shrug their shoulders. The athlete is the horse and god do we love the horse!!

The winning Contrada receives the Drapellone and heads to the Chruch for the prayer of thanks after it is then taken immeditaley back to its contrada with armed guards (yes losers in the past have tried to harm the winning horse. Bitter much?) Now its time to party! The entoie citywith music, food and wine and it's unlike any party you've been to.

Becca feeling good

Tables that stretch for blocks and blocks are laid out and the entore contrade eats dinner together! This is my fave part.

The Winners!

Everyone drinking in the streets in the winning contrade

Travel is best with your best mates :) Having Rum and cokes in the town square where the race was earlier on. We were all 17 when this was taken hahaha gotta love Europe!!