The Palio di Siena equestrian race takes you back to seventeenth-century Italy - it's the sea vivid impressions and adrenaline. The holiday is truly one of the most interesting festivals in Italy and in Europe, where thousands of tourists gather every year.

The Siena Palio (Il Palio) is a completely crazy traditional horse race. In terms of strategy, at first glance, everything is clear: to stay on the horse and, clutching the whip in your hands, not only drive the animal, but also try to disorientate opponents. This is not forbidden, but, on the contrary, is one of the rules of the race, despite the protests of the Greens, who speak out in defense of horses, which from time to time are maimed or killed during the competition.

The draw, which begins the 4-day holiday, is held on June 29 and August 13. It initially involves all 17 Contradas and up to 30 horses specially bred for Siena in Sardinia. Horses before the race, bless in the temple. Only jockeys from 10 contradas are allowed to participate in the races: 7 who did not participate in the past Palio and 3 from the remaining 10. The best 10 horses, distributed by chance, are given to contrads. On the same day, the first trial run takes place on the square. To stop attempts to bribe jockeys, who are usually not natives of Siena, they and the horses are followed by 12 men from different contradas from the moment of the draw. This is the time when a real war breaks out in the city between adherents of different contradas (Contarda is a district or district of an Italian city. Seventeen contradas of Siena gained world fame thanks to the Siena Palio races they organize. Each Siena contrada bears the name of an animal or some object ...) when some really show their sultry southern temperament!

After the training races, concerts and training processions take place in Piazza del Campo. The level of fun in the city is steadily increasing: each contrada in its territory throws a banquet in support of its jockey and its horse, or in support of the allies if this time it is not possible to take part in the Palio in Siena. Drummers in medieval costumes march through the streets of the city, announcing the approaching climax of the holiday.

According to rough estimates, the Siena Palio is held in the presence of 40 to 70 thousand spectators. The festivities begin after 16:00 (all approaches to the square have already been blocked by that time) with a colorful solemn procession of Corteo Storico. Hundreds of representatives of all contradas, dressed in medieval costumes, take part in it. Moreover, the costumes are made of authentic fabrics: no synthetics and faux fur. The standard-bearers carry flags with the coats of arms of each of the contrades, competing with each other in the ability to handle the staff and the cloth. At the end of the procession is a cart drawn by bulls, carrying a prize - the Palio, for the honor of decorating which the most eminent artists compete every year. All this time, on the main tower of Siena, the bell tolls without ceasing.

The races themselves, during which riders drive bareback horses, include three laps along Piazza del Campo, 333 meters long (thus, the total length of the distance is exactly 1 kilometer), on which a thick layer of earth is specially placed. They usually last no more than 90 seconds.

After possible false starts, the horses line up: 9 in front and 1 behind. As soon as the 10th horse reaches the space between the two ropes, the front rope drops instantly and the races in Siena begin. During the races, not only animals, but also jockeys can suffer. However, if a horse without a jockey comes first, the victory will be awarded to her. Such cases have already happened. True, in the overall standings, such a victory gives not 1, but 0.5 points.

After the races in Siena are completed, the winner is presented with a precious Palio, his name is entered in a special commemorative book, and the contrada, whose interests he represented, arranges a festive banquet in the square, which is attended by thousands of people.

Interesting Facts:

If the horse is rigidly assigned to the contrada before the competition, then you can always try to outbid the rider. And here numerous intrigues and conspiracies begin. For example, two contrades, friendly to each other, who received not the most successful horses, can agree and pool financial resources in order to bribe or outbid a rider from a common enemy - a contrada that got the best horse.

There was a real case when the "dolphins" got a weaker horse than their main enemies - the "elephants". They, in alliance with the "caterpillars", announced a special award for the rider who can prevent the "elephants" from achieving victory. As a result, the "geese" jockey managed to knock down the "elephants" jockey on the turn, many other horses immediately got into the dump, as a result of which the worst enemy of the "geese" themselves became the winner. The rider of the "geese" received his reward from the "caterpillars" and "dolphins", but the "geese" themselves cursed him.

And another feature of the Siena Palio is the complete impunity of the winners over the next few days. What on other days would be considered hooliganism is not punished immediately after the Palio, law enforcement agencies simply turn a blind eye to it. For example, when the "elephants" won in one of the Palios, every morning they brought a live elephant to the area of ​​​​their rivals "dolphins" and walked it through the streets until it laid a big pile. But the "elephants" decided not to limit themselves to this, and at night wrapped the houses in the area of ​​the "dolphins" with toilet paper.

The Siena Palio race is held annually in the Italian city of Siena. This tradition originated in the Middle Ages - the first horse races took place in 1656, in this and subsequent years the races took place only once a year, but then, starting from 1701, the Palio festival began to be held twice a year.

The ancient roots of this holiday are also indicated by the fact that the Palio, held on August 16, is named after the Assumption and Ascension of the Virgin - Palio della Assunta (Palio dell "Assunta), and the Palio, held on July 2, is named after the patroness of Siena, Madonna di Provenzano - Palio di Provenzano (Palio di Provenzano) Twice a year on the main square of the city - Piazza del Campo - horseback riding competitions are held between 10 districts of the city, called contradas.Each of the quarters has its own coat of arms, flag, motto, colors, temple.In Siena 17 contradas, but only 10 contradas take part in the Palio - only 10 teams.During the next Palio, the teams change.During this medieval show, the ten participating horsemen are dressed in costumes in the traditional colors of their contrada, and the flags and coats of arms of the contradas flutter on the building of the Palace of the Commune .

The draw, with which the 4-day holiday begins, is held the day before. It initially involves all 17 Contradas and up to 30 horses specially bred for Siena in Sardinia. Only jockeys from 10 contradas are allowed to participate in the races: 7 who did not participate in the past Palio and 3 from the remaining 10. The best 10 horses, distributed by chance, are given to contrads. On the same day, the first trial run takes place on the square, after which concerts are held, and each contrada on its territory organizes a banquet in support of its jockey and its horse, or in support of the allies. Drummers in medieval costumes march through the streets of the city, announcing the approaching climax of the holiday.

The races themselves begin with a colorful procession - Corteo Storico, hundreds of participants in which are dressed in medieval costumes. The standard-bearers carry flags with the coats of arms of each of the contrades, competing with each other in the ability to handle the staff and the cloth. The procession is closed by a cart drawn by bulls carrying a prize - the Palio.

The races themselves, during which riders drive bareback horses, include three laps in Piazza del Campo, 333 meters long. They usually last no more than 90 seconds. So that the horses do not immediately damage the hooves, the famous Sienese earth of a brownish-yellowish color is brought to the square, which is sprinkled with sand on top, after which it is compacted. Sometimes jockeys get off their horses during tight turns, then the Palio is won by the horse representing the contrada.

After the races in Siena are completed, the winner is presented with a precious Palio, his name is entered in a special commemorative book, and the contrada, whose interests he represented, arranges a festive banquet in the square, which is attended by thousands of people.

In Piazza del Campo in Siena (Piazza del Campo) are the traditional races Palio (from the Italian "Il Palio", which means the banner - the trophy of the winner). 17 districts (counterparts) of the city compete in the competition. Horse racing is organized twice a year - on July 2 and August 16. If you are going to Siena in mid-August, then you have a chance to watch these traditional races.

Riders must ride bareback three laps of 333 meters each. If the rider falls during this extreme race, his horse ends the competition. In the final, not the rider is honored, but the winning horse.

Piazza del Campo is the main square of the city of Siena, where the horse races take place. In the center, the city hall "Palazzo Pubblico" (Palazzo Pubblico), also known as (Palazzo Comunale) was built around 1297-1310 by the Government of the Nine as the building of the city administration. Siena was a free city of the republic (for comparison - in Ancient Russia Veliky Novgorod was such a free city, in Germany - Hamburg). A government of nine came to power in Siena in 1287.

Seventeen participants - Siena's contradas have their own names and emblems: Aquila (Eagle), Bruco (Caterpillar), Chiocciola (Snail), Civetta (Owl), Drago (Dragon), Giraffa (Giraffe), Istriche (Porcupine), Leocorno (Unicorn) , Magnifier (She-wolf), Nicchio (Shell), Oka (Goose), Onda (Wave), Panther (Black Panther), Selva (Forest), Tartuka (Turtle), Torre (Tower) and Valdimontone (Sheep Valley).

The area where the races take place does not belong to any of the contradas.

Lady of the contrada Bruko (Caterpillar).

Ladies with contrade symbols

Each contrada has its own coat of arms, colors and motto. These funny names for a modern person also have their own history. Each citizen of Siena remains "attached" to his district from birth, even if he moves to another district.

Lady of the Contrada Aquila (Eagle). Looks like the coat of arms of the Russian Federation

In the Sienese chronicles of the 12th-13th centuries, the festive races are referred to as "Palio di San Bonifazio" - "The Palio of St. Boniface".

The symbol of the Oka (Gus) district on a city street. It started to rain

In the Middle Ages, Siena was one of the richest and most cultured cities in Europe, traditional Palio became a festive event in honor of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, the protector of the free city. During the holiday, representatives of the city authorities and citizens solemnly brought candles and gifts to the cathedral as a token of gratitude and devotion to the Mother of God. Chronicles of 1200 tell how the townspeople "brought candles into the temple" in honor of the holiday.

For popular fun, the so-called "Deputati della Festa" were elected, which are mentioned in documents of the XIV century. "Deputies" performed certain festive organizational tasks, for which they received the necessary attributes.

The Palio races were usually attended by noble citizens. The prize was a pallium: a long piece of precious fabric, like a banner-trophy of the winner.

Horse racing in Siena. Contrada page Nikkio (Shell).
Retro postcard.

Victory and defeat were strictly delineated by mocking "prizes". In the chronicles of 1238, a case is described when the loser in the race "did not take the pig", for which he was fined 40 coins. Most likely, the losers were given not a live pig, but a headdress in the shape of a pig's muzzle. This taunt showed the difference between first and last in the competition.

Racing in Siena, 1965

During the Renaissance, the city holiday included ball games, mummer dances, bull racing (later donkeys) and all sorts of hooliganism that ended in injuries.

Traditional races took place along a long route. Noble gentlemen no longer wanted to take part in competitions themselves and hired jockeys. There were gambling, betting on the winner.

In the Middle Ages, fairs were held on the square, merchants from different cities and countries came here. Roads from the square led to Rome to the southeast, to the sea to the southwest, and to Florence to the north.

Equestrian competitions in Piazza del Campo began in 1656 and continue to this day.

Initially, the races were held only on July 2 in honor of the Madonna di Provenzano (Madonna di Provenzano) - the patroness of the city. The second date of the Palio appeared in the 18th century, when the winner from the Oka (Goose) region in July 1701 made a bet that he would win the second race on August 16 in honor of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary (Madonna Assunta).

"Palazzo Publico" in cloudy weather. The city changes in the rain. (Guests from "bog Petersburg" immediately spoil the weather).

The town hall is adorned with the Torre del Mangia tower, which is 102 meters high. The city of Siena competed with Florence and the city decided to build a tower that would be taller than the main tower of the rival city. The height of the tower in the Old Square in Florence is 94 meters. The construction of the tower began in 1325 and was completed in 1349.

The name of the tower was given in honor of the bell ringer Giovanni di Balduccio, who became famous for his love of a plentiful table, for which he received the nickname Mangiaguadagni (which means a spender who spends a lot of money on feasts). The Sunto bell (the name comes from "Maria Assunta", that is, "Ascension of Mary") is dedicated to the Virgin Mary and was installed on the tower in 1666. This bell signals the start of the Palio race in Siena.

The design uses my photos and illustrations from the site sienafree.it

If Florence is the Sun of Tuscany, then Siena is its Moon. If Florence is Moscow, then Siena is Tver. Florence got worldwide fame, but it was in the rivalry with Siena that she was forged to become. Siena still retains its proud and unique character and many unique traditions, buildings and art.

The most famous annual event in Siena is the Palio. Palio is a race that takes place twice a year - in July and August. The scale of this event cannot be overestimated. The whole city is in turmoil. Incredible crowds of tourists gather from all over the world. All main streets are blocked. All of Italy, with bated breath, is watching the outcome of the race. The race itself takes only 90 seconds - the horses rush three circles along the rim of the extraordinary main Siena square - Il Campo. But preparing for the race takes at least a few days of rituals, rehearsals, fuss and anticipation. The Palio is the quintessence of Siena and even, in a sense, the quintessence of traditional Italy.

Many years ago, I already visited Siena, was smitten by it on the spot, and for me it has forever become one of the most favorite places in Italy. This time we ended up in Siena literally on the eve of the Palio. Getting to the Palio itself is an almost impossible task, Arab sheiks and American billionaires pay incredible money for the few seats in the houses around the square, and mere mortals take free seats in the center of the square 24 hours before the competition. But the Palio rehearsals - which take place on the days leading up to the Palio - can be attended with much less effort. What we did!

And it's worth starting from the panorama of Il Campo - the main square - on the day of the rehearsal!

Of course, we first walked along it in the afternoon. Piazza del Campo is one of the most glorious medieval squares in Europe. It is decorated with the main building of Siena - Palazzo Publico (town hall) with its tower, Torre del Mangia - whose silhouette, once seen, you will never forget.

Campo Square is also unusual in that it was built in the shape of a shell - its floor is sloping and, as it were, converges to one central point, this gate to the town hall. Now the slopes - the shell flaps - are not visible, because an earthen path has been laid around the square, along which the Palio horses will actually run!

The whole city is full of anticipation. There are posters everywhere that explain exactly which entrances and exits will be open on Il Campo at what time. There will be such a crowd that understanding the complex geography of the old city can be very useful!

The only vehicles that can enter Siena on this day are the vehicles that deliver the horses.

Siena is historically divided into 17 contrades - that is, historical administrative units-communities. Each contrada has its own borders, flag, colors and emblem. For example, there is the Eagle counter, the Dragon counter, the Snail counter and the Tower counter. It is between the contradas that the competition takes place during the Palio. Each contrada is also united by neighborly and kindred ties. Already on the day of the first rehearsal, the contradas begin their festive preparations for the races - which looks like blocked streets and a joint meal. In general, tourists are forbidden to walk along such a street, but I pretended to be incomprehensible and even took a couple of pictures. This is the feast of the Tower contrada.

Wandering around Siena, there is no doubt what kind of contrada you are in - flags are hung everywhere. This street is the boundary between the Tower and the Unicorn countertrades.

Such privacy as in the previous picture is almost impossible to find in Siena these days. This pandemonium looks more like this:

We stumbled upon the flag-bearers of the Turtle contrada, who were impressively rehearsing their dance -

Now throwing flags up, then intricately crossing them -

But finally evening and we took our place in the fenced center of the square.

Looking around the area:

I stop at Torre di Mangia:

Sky look:

The stands at the town hall are full of children of every contrada:

Which are fiercely photographed by photographers:

Worth it! Dragon Contrast.

Children of the contrada of the Tower - it just so happened that we lived in a hotel on the territory of this contrada and I also really like its color scheme, so I have it in almost every photo.

Spectators settled on any available balcony and ledge!

The audience is full of excitement:

We notice the horses and jockeys that go to the victory lap:

Contrad children rejoice when they meet their representatives:

In general, only 10 contradas out of 17 participate in each Palio. The system by which they are selected is as follows. In the Palio of August 2015, there are 7 contradas that did not participate in the Palio of the previous August, plus three more contradas, which are chosen by lot. The same system applies to the July Palio. Thus, in given year a given contrada can participate in both Palios, only one or even none of them - depending on its turn and luck.

The most successful contrada is Goose's contrada. For 400 years, she has won the Palio 65 times. Orel's contrada won the least - 24 times.

Riders in the colors of the Dragon and Snail contradas. For the Sienese, the Palio is a matter of life and death. The contrada that wins the Palio rises from happiness to heaven and arranges a huge celebration. Her traditional enemies - each contrada has its own - are grieving. But the saddest are the so-called "grandmothers" ("nonna") - this is the contrada that has not won the Palio for the longest time. To date, this title belongs to the she-wolf contrada - her last victory was in 1989!

And finally, the cannon fires and ten horses rush to the gallop around the square - the rehearsal has begun! I deliberately publish the video I made in full in order to convey the atmosphere of excitement and chaos that reigns in Piazza del Campo even during rehearsal - I imagine how crazy it is there during the Palio itself!

The rehearsal is over, the tourists are leaving for their hotels, and the Sienese are leaving for the contrada holidays, which will go on almost continuously until the Palio junction!

Then (it was a Thursday) we certainly didn't know who would win the real race on Sunday. The Palio on 17 August 2015 was won by Lesa's contrada. The future winner is visible in the video. This is a horse and a jockey in an orange and green suit.