The Palio of Siena, a famous horse race dating back to the 17th century, resumed its rights on Saturday in the main square of this Tuscan city after two years of interruption due to Covid-19. The horse in the colors of the Dragon district won the race.
‘After two years of forced stop where we had to give up our popular festival, the city, its neighborhoods and all the inhabitants of Siena have rediscovered with joy and passion their culture, their traditions and their values’, welcomed before the race the mayor of the city, Luigi de Mossi, quoted by the daily La Repubblica.
Thousands of people gathered in the magnificent Piazza del Campo, an architectural gem recognizable by its curved and tilted shape like an amphitheater. Among the personalities present was the president of the American House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, who previously passed through Rome where she met Pope Francis.
Whipping allowed
The race pits ten of the seventeen ‘contrades’ or districts of the city against each other in turn and the participants are drawn by lot. The winner is the horse that finishes first the three laps of the place, with or without its rider, which often happens. The loser of the race is the district which finishes second and not last.
On the ring, the riders have the right to use their whip to hit the other horses and riders.
The race itself is very fast, but it’s all the ceremonial and the surrounding rituals that make the event exceptional: a grand parade in period costumes, blessing of the horses, banquets. The winner receives a painted silk flag, called a ‘palio’, specially designed for each race.
The Palio takes place twice a year, on July 2 and August 16, each time attracting tourists from all over the world.
/ATS