Home / Equestrian sports / Palio di Siena
Traditional and historic
The Palio is a famous horse race on the main square of the Italian city of Siena. Jockeys from different city districts ride bareback, and the winner receives a painted silk banner.
| Group | Traditional and historic |
|---|---|
| Also called | Il Palio, Palio of Siena, Corsa del Palio |
| Olympic | no |
| Where it is popular | The Palio takes place only in Siena, in the Tuscany region of Italy. Visitors come from all over the world to watch it. |
The Piazza del Campo is covered with a thick layer of earth, and the horses race three laps around it. The race lasts only about a minute and a half. Ten of the city's 17 districts, called contrade, take part in each race, and horses are given to them by lottery. The winner is the first horse across the finish line, even if it has lost its rider.
The race uses horses of mixed breeding, and purebred racehorses are not allowed. Before the race, each horse is blessed in its contrada's church.
Jockeys ride without a saddle or stirrups, in the colours of their contrada. The prize is the palio, a silk banner painted by a different artist for each race.
The race is held twice a year: on 2 July (Palio di Provenzano) and 16 August (Palio dell'Assunta). Before the race, a historical parade with flag-wavers and drummers crosses the square.
Only experienced professional jockeys ride in the Palio, while people of any age can watch the festival. Children inspired by the race should start with lessons at a riding school, with a helmet and a coach.
The first Palio in its current form, run around the square, took place in 1633, and since 1701 it has been held twice a year.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org, britannica.com, vokrugsveta.ru