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# 63 • June 28 , 2015
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ITALIAN TRADITION:
THE PALIO DI SIENA
By www.folclore.it
The Palio is a complex event organized by the
Municipality of Siena that is held twice each
year, on July 2 and August 16. Ten of the 17
"contrade" (city quarters) of Siena run the Palio of July 2: the seven ones who did not run
during the Palio of July of the previous year,
plus three random from among the ten who
ran it. The draw takes place on the last Sunday
of May, similarly for the Palio of August 16, with
the draw taking place on the first Sunday after
the Palio of July.
The procession starts from Piazza del Duomo
in the early hours of the afternoon, and winds
through the streets of the city before taking off
in Piazza del Campo.
The Palio race consists of three laps of Piazza
del Campo, in a tuff track plotted in the ring
above the shell. It starts from "the mossa", formed by two ropes defining the space where 9
contrade with their horses are confined, in an
order determined by a raffle: when the last one
(called "the rincorsa") finally enters the space
The 10 contrade participate to the Palio racing between the ropes, the front rope is lowered
with a horse that is assigned them by a raffle and the race starts.
from a shortlist of horses selected among those
physically fit.
The winner is the contrada whose horse, with or
without the jockey, performs three laps for first.
The Palio race is preceded by a pageant, an hi- The winner is awarded with a banner of painstoric walk which is attended by over 600 pe- ted silk, the Palio, or "Drappellone", which will
ople representing the 17 contrade and institu- remain forever preserved in the museum of the
tions of the ancient Republic of Siena.
contrada.
WE THE ITALIANS | 13
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