An unchanging ritual since the Middle Ages
Every summer, the streets and balconies of every contrada are decked out with flags and pennants. The two crazy Palio horse races, held on July 2 in honor of the Madonna di Provenzano and on August 16 for the Assumption, are preceded by the blessing of the horse and man in the local church. Each contrada has its own church, square, fountain, museum, anthem, flag, official website and, of course, its patron saint. Then the historic procession, the Passeggiata Storica, marches through old Siena to the sound of military drums and trumpets, between puffed-up period costumes and flag-throwing. It's an incredible spectacle, both solemn and moving, undoubtedly from another time for the tourists who flock here from all over the world, sometimes dumbfounded by so much emulation... A time that goes back to the Middle Ages, when the Florentines, the eternal rivals of Ghibelline Siena, had no understanding of the Palio, and took the Sienese for fools. Few medieval festivals endure as authentically and vividly as Siena's Palio.
With the crowds massed in the center of the Piazza del Campo, transformed into an extraordinary racecourse, the tension is at its highest, and just before the race, the Carroccio, a chariot pulled by four enormous white oxen, circles the square proudly hoisting the Drappellone, the coveted flag awarded to the winning district. This trophy symbolizes the pride of an entire contrada for an entire year. In fact, it also gives the losing districts every right to mock and taunt.
Just a 75 second run?
Certainly not! Such a statement could well incur the wrath of the people of Siena. The Palio, that unbridled cavalcade, is in fact an extremely competitive tournament, sprinkled with fierce rivalry between the ten participating districts (of the seventeen that exist). Chauvinism reaches proportions rarely equaled. Some residents are so anxious that they prefer to stay away from the show! It's one of the biggest cultural events on the Italian peninsula. You need to be a Sienese to understand the magnitude of the event, because it's a very serious affair. Behind the scenes, for example, married couples from different historic quarters don't hesitate to separate in the run-up to the race.
The highlight of Sienese patriotism, the Palio is nowadays run by professional jockeys, often from Sardinia (because of their small stature), rather than by local children. What's more, the loser of the race is the one who finishes second, not last. As for the horse, which wears the district's colors from mane to hoof, it is chosen by lot just four days before the race. Quite unique, isn't it?
Another special feature of the Palio di Siena is its wildness: it's an old-fashioned race, run bareback (without a saddle) and with no special rules, as if it were taking place in its first edition. No holds barred, in the truest sense of the word! Falls can sometimes be dangerous, the horse can even win without its rider (which is often the case), and the sums at stake are considerable... The Palio's sulphurous reputation, with its stories of doping and rigged races, undoubtedly adds fuel to this already overexcited atmosphere. Furious, heroic and bestial, this race also reflects the ever-present influence of the contrade system.
It's the start! When the sound of the cannon resounds, the rope falls, the horses bolt and the crowd exalts, between fear and enthusiasm. Three laps of the Piazza del Campo, covered in clay for the occasion, is a very short time (between 75 and 90 seconds), but above all it's frenetic, of unparalleled intensity, because amidst the roars, time seems to stand still. Victory is sacred, and gives rise to spectacular scenes of jubilation. The winning rider(fantini) receives his painted silk Drappellone in the collegiate church of Santa Maria in Provenzano on July 2, and in the cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta on August 16. A gigantic dinner then takes place in the proud winning contrada. The Goose district, with its 66 victories, is the most victorious in the history of the Palio!
Cruel, the palio?
Some voices are being raised against the immutable tradition of the Sienese Palio and its excesses, considered by the most ardent animal protectionists to be cruel and damaging to Italy's image. In 2011, on the initiative of several animal protection associations, including the renowned Italian Horse Protection, an international petition was launched calling for a ban on the use of horses during the Palio. Since 1970, some 50 horses have died as a result of violent falls during the race or in training. The track is slippery and the turns dangerous. Yes, it's a tough, risky race, and riders can whip other horses... and riders. But many Sienese counter these criticisms by pointing to the care provided to the horses that race at the Palio, thanks in particular to an agreement with a veterinary clinic located next to the city, as well as the peaceful retirement of the equines financed by the municipality.
It should be noted that the "modern" form of the Palio dates back to 1650, after a long evolution of the games that took place in the Piazza del Campo, such as donkey or buffalo races, which had themselves succeeded the ban on bullfighting by the Council of Trent in the 16th century. The Palio is far from being just a festivity: it's a rite, the pride of the contrade, for whom the horse is also the object of a veritable cult. Today, it's hard to imagine the slightest change, let alone the crazy idea of cancelling this legendary race, which is as popular in Italy as a World Cup soccer match for the national team!
