Where is palio held

At around 3 p. The parade arrives around 5 p. 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. 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 more complicated than it seems , 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.

The wait for the start of the race can thus be extremely long and last into twilight. 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. The winning Contrada receives the Drappellone , as the victorious Contrada members head towards the Church of Provenza after the July race or towards the Duomo after the August race for the " Te Deum " or prayer of thanks.

The Palio represents without a doubt a unique opportunity to live the warmth and passion of the city of Siena. If you have the opportunity of attending, do not pass up on this chance to experience such a passionate and special celebration. It is possible to attend the race for free from the center of the Piazza del Campo. We suggest you arrive at least by 4. In the moments leading up to the start of the race, the horses and jockeys line up between 2 pieces of rope and the crowd falls into almost complete silence.

As the race begins, the spectators come to life, cheering on their horse with all the energy they can muster, hoping that it will speed their competitor along. The 3 laps are completed in about 75 seconds and as the winner crosses the finish line the crowd erupts into tumultuous applause and celebration. The winner is then paraded ceremoniously to the duomo.

The canvas is then exhibited proudly within their district museum. The first race, the Palio della Madonna di Provenzano, takes place on the 2 nd of July and the second race, the Palio della Assunta, takes place on the 16 th of August.

It is highly recommended for you to arrive in Siena at least four days prior to the race! Race day When the big day arrives, the tension is palpable as each contrade goes about their rituals in the lead up to the race.

The very first traces of a form of Palio in the town of Siena date back to the XII century: at the time, the competition involved crossing the streets of the city reaching the Duomo Vecchio and was called Palio alla Lunga.

At the time, only the nobles participated in the race, but with the birth of the Contrade, another kind of show began to be organized. At the beginning of the XVII century, the race was transferred to Piazza del Campo for reasons of safety first of all: the Palio, in fact, was very dangerous because the horses ran at full speed in the narrow city streets.

In addition, only a few people enjoyed the event, due to the venue the narrow streets. The date to which the first Palio di Siena is traced as we know it is July 2, From that moment it was decided that not only the nobles would run but the Contrade themselves would have had the opportunity to choose their own jockey. The Palio dedicated to the miracle of the Madonna of Provenzano, celebrated on 2nd July was run for the first time in while a second palio of the districts was introduced from the XVIII century.

The proposal was put forward by the Contrada of the Goose Oca , which, after winning the competition of 2nd July , offered a sort of re-match to the opponents on the occasion of the Assumption celebration, on 16th August.

Share our page! Our clients come from all over the world. Inspired to want to see the Siena Palio? The sacred symbols of the race; the July Palio is dedicated to the Madonna of Provenzano, and August is dedicated to the Madonna of the Assumption.

The symbols of the city The colours or symbols of the 10 Contrada participating It is therefore very valuable as no two Palios are ever the same and are treasured in the winning Contrada Museums which exist in each district. The 17 Contradas of the Siena Palio.

Where to sit at the Siena Palio. Events around the Siena Palio. Join Our Newsletter Sign up to receive newsletters with ideas and tips for special occasion trips from our travel websites.

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