| Those who run | |
| Rules of the Palio:every years for the palio of 2nd July,devoted to Our Lady of Provenzano,and that of 16th August,dfevoted | |
| to Our Lady of Assumption,ten of the seventeen contrade are called to run the Palio.Seven of them,those which did not run in the previous edition,run by rights,the other three are dawn among those wich took part to the previous race("carriera").The lots are drawn a month before the Palio.Three days before the race there is the lot of the |  |
| horses(tratta),then there are three days of trials(six in all)which finish in the morning of the Palio. | |
| The preparations | |
| On 29th June and 13th August, at seven a.m the half-breed horses owners who would like to take part in the Palio present themselves to the main entrance(entrone)of the Town Hall:a three-lap race of the "Campo" is the trial for the selection.The best and the worst horses are rejected,as rule.The pairing off horses-contrade take place in front of the Town Hall,by lot into the Mayor's presence.From this moment onwards,the horse belongs of the Contrada. | |
| The alliances | |
| Both to handicap common enemies or to favour victory the contrade seal agreements(or alliances) which obey to very complex patterns.They begin on the day of the "tratta"and go on,in secret,until the starting past,"mossa". | |
| The jockeys | |
| They are mercenaries.They areengaged by the contrade,which are allowed to change them until the last trial.The jockeys are usually foreigners.The Sienese have a feeling of love-hate for them:in fact the jockey can betray the contrada. | |
| The earth in the square | |
| In the days before the race,the ring of campo Square is covered with tuff. | |
| The eve | |
| The eve dinner is the moment of the hope and the common waiting.In the streets of the ten "contrade" which will run,very long tables are laid for a banquet.Hundreds of supporters of the contrada but even simple guests take part to the dinner of the "general trial". | |
| The day of the Palio | |
| It is scanned by religious ceremonies.The day starts at eight a.m with jockey's Mass,celebrated by the Archbishop of Siena in the square's chapel.The ten horses are blessed.After lunch,in the historical residences of the contrade,the young who will take part to the historical parade are got dressed. | |
| The parade | |
| About 600 men,dressed in Renaissance costumes,march on parade which recalls the greatness of the Sienese Republic. | |
| The race | |
| The jockeys come out of the main entrance of the Town hall and receive an ox whip with which they can hit not only their horse,but even the rival horses and their jockeys.The starter calls the nine"contrade"which will have to range themselves between two ropes.The tenth contrada will start run.The start is whorth when the rules of the alignement are respected.It takes about a minute and twenty secons to cover the three laps of the square.During the race is allowed to overcome the rivals both on the right and on the left and the rivals can be shut in.If a jockey falls down,the horse can go on running and can win the race. | |
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Via
E.S.Piccolomini 35
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Siena
Toscana Italia
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tel
0577.283930 fax 0577.270009
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