Each year in mid-summer the city of Siena holds one of the most passionate and awe inspiring celebrations in all of Italy, a series of horseback races called the Palio di Siena, a Medieval tradition that is still alive and well in modern times. The participants in the race are residents from the city's 17 wards, or “contrade”. The race is dedicated to the Madonna and is highly competitive. The horses gallop at breakneck speeds around the Piazza del Campo at the center of the city, and the winning contrada gains bragging rights that can last for years. July 2nd marks the first race, which celebrates the Feast of the Visitation. According to the Gospel of Luke, this was when the Virgin Mary called upon Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist. The second race takes place on August 16th, on the day following the Feast of the Assumption, which celebrates the Virgin's miraculous ascent to heaven. In some years a third race is held to mark a contemporary event or anniversary of great cultural significance.
The eve of each race is marked by a great feast in which tables 50 feet long are arranged in vast rows, at which as many as 25,000 Sienese residents and guests dine on traditional dishes. Many residents are decked out in the colors and symbols representing the contrada they call home. The streets are illuminated by the golden glow of firelight, while families gather and share stories, recounting history at the same time as it unfolds before them. Guests are welcomed and are made to feel as if they have always been present.
In the Middle Ages, Siena was a powerful and independent city-state, and its wards were each assigned distinct administrative and military roles. For this reason, the contrade of Siena have a rich and diverse history, and each encapsulates its heritage in a chosen symbol. Each contrada also has its own unique set of colors, patron saint, motto, museum, and baptismal font. Most also have one or more officially declared allied contrade and an official rival. The contrade, named for their symbols, are: Aquila (Eagle), Bruco (Caterpillar), Chiocciola (Snail), Civetta (Little Owl), Drago (Dragon), Giraffa (Giraffe), Istrice, (Crested Porcupine), Leocorno (Unicorn), Lupa (She-Wolf), Nicchio (Seashell), Oca (Goose), Onda (Wave), Pantera (Panther), Selva (Forest), Tartuca (Tortoise), Torre (Tower), and Valdimontone (Ram).
The race itself is heralded by a fabulous parade in medieval costumes, followed by a mounted charge around the track by sword-wielding carabinieri. At sunset, a bell tolls, the starting cord is pulled, and an explosive is detonated, signaling the race to begin. The horses are ornamented with headgear representing the symbol of each contrada. The jockeys ride bareback and race three times around the track. The rules are loose; the jockeys carry whips which can be used on their own horse or their opponents', and the winning horse must be carrying its ornamental headgear intact (but not necessarily its rider). The winning prize is a famed banner painted on silk, called the Palio. The celebration afterward is wholehearted and, for the winning contrada, may continue for months.
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