Palio of Provenzano (Wed, 2 July 2025) Source: Cor Magis Tibi Sena Pandit, Facebook In a typical year, three additional contradas (contrade) are selected by lottery to join the seven that did not run the previous July, providing ten competitors. This race is unique, however, in that five lucky contradas were selected in the extraction … Continue reading Palios of July and August 2025: Who’s Running?
Tag: palio of siena
The Extraction of the Contrade: How Ten Competitors are Chosen for the Palio
Visitors who are fortunate enough to be in Siena during the days of the Palio (by sheer accident or otherwise) are often unaware of all the preparation well prior to the event. One of the more emotional rituals takes place about six weeks prior to each summer Palio. This is known as the extraction (estrazione) … Continue reading The Extraction of the Contrade: How Ten Competitors are Chosen for the Palio
Why do the Sienese wear neck scarves?
Excerpt adapted in part from my book, Living the Palio. Panther contradaioli (contrada members) wearing their fazzoletti while walking to the Duomo on the day of the Palio The strongest direct symbol of personal contrada identity is the contrada scarf, or fazzoletto, which is typically worn around one’s neck. Today, as in the past, the … Continue reading Why do the Sienese wear neck scarves?
Daily Schedule of Palio Events
The daily events and rituals associated with the Palio are (usually) on a fixed schedule that is predictable from one Palio to the next. A useful overview of the four days of the Palio is found here: Palio Time Schedules. Here is my own version of the typical schedule (below), based on my personal experiences … Continue reading Daily Schedule of Palio Events
Winning the Palio: the Drappellone
Excerpt adapted from my book, Living the Palio. (It's already written, so I'm happy to share it here.) A few traditions are quite different from US sporting events. The only payout for a victorious contrada is a cloth banner known as the drappellone or palio. The word palio actually holds a dual meaning here—for the … Continue reading Winning the Palio: the Drappellone
The Siena Visitor 