Società Dante AlighieriSocietà Dante AlighieriComitato di SienaComitato di Siena

IL MONDO IN ITALIANOIL MONDO IN ITALIANO

The Contradas and the The Contradas and the Palio in the history and Palio in the history and

life of Sienalife of Siena

Central Connecticut State Central Connecticut State UniversityUniversity

Agenda Agenda

• Introduction to Siena;

• the Contrada in the past;

• the Contrada in the present;

• the horse-race: IL PALIO

The Contradas: the territoryThe Contradas: the territory

Le consorelle (co-sisters)

Eagle Caterpillar Snail

Owl Dragon Giraffe

Unicorn Porcupine She-Wolf

Shell Goose Wave

Panther Woods Turtle

Tower Ram

The Contradas’ roles in the past

Associations for people with the same job

“Simple” justice

Military tasks for protecting Siena

Protection of the fountains

Cleaning of each area

Associations for mutual benefit

The enemies – rivals

PREMISES

The head-quarter

The church

The Museum

Premises for social activities

The stable or house of the horse

The social structure

The POPOLO (protectors)

Elected leaders for the PEACE time:

priore - vicari - pro vicari - seggio esecutivo - seggio non esecutivo

Elected leaders for the WAR time (palio):

capitano - mangini - barbaresco

Elected leaders for the GROUPS (women, men, culture, seniors, kids, etc.)

Nowdays example (la Torre)

Popolo: circa 5.500 persone

Priore - Massimo Brogi - Vicari Piero Luigi Mirolli - Francesco Franchi

Capitano: Maria Aurora Chigi Zondadari

Mangini: Cesare Savelli - Marco Giusti

Collegio Maggiorenti: 11 persone - Seggio esecutivo: 20 persone

Seggio non esecutivo: 35 persone - Paglietta (anziani): 10 persone

Giovani: 10 persone - Donne: 10 persone - Uomini: 10 persone

Gruppo culturale: 10 persone

Nowdays Contradas roles in the everyday life

Assistance to the seniors

Assistance to the young people

Sporting events

Cultural events

Transmission of the Contrada heritage

Palio

A Contrada MUST BE

A-political

Intergenerational

Volunteer

THE PALIO

JULY 2nd & AUGUST 16th

PALIO STAGESThe Drawing of the Contradas

The horses selection (5 days before)

The Drawing of the horses (3 days before)

The jockey selection (even on the last day)

The rehearsals (twice per day for 3 days)

The jockey mass (in the morning of the Palio)

Blessing of the horse(early afternoon)

The horse-race

Te Deum in S. Maria in Provenzano (2 luglio)

in the Duomo il 16 agosto

The Contradas drawing

7 Contradas DID NOT run the Palio on the past August

and they will run the Palio FOR SURE

the captains draw 3 Contradas so that 10 Contradas run the

Palio

Horses selection

On the basis of the health of the horses

some veterinarians and the Contradas Captains select 10 horses

between around 90 horses

The drawing of the horses

After having made a group of 10 horses, the Mayor of Siena

in the Piazza del Campo draws

a horse and a Contrada.

From this moment on the horse lives in the stable of the

Contradas with the people

The jockeys The jockeys

• Professionals

• Often not from Siena• once they start to run in Piazza del Campo

they receive a nickname (Luigi Bruschelli called Trecciolino - Andrea De Cortes called Aceto)

The rehearsalsThe rehearsals Twice per day: 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM

On July 1st and August 15th in the evening

there is a huge gala dinner in the

streets

The blessing of the horseThe blessing of the horse

The priest of each Contrada

blesses the horse saying

“………. va’ e torna vincitore”!

The historycal procession

When they come into the piazza the jockeys keep

the riding switch

The start (mossiere, canape)

Celebrations Celebrations

• Feasts every night

• Parades mocking the enemy contrada

• At the end of September or beginning of October there is a large

VICTORY DINNER