|
"Piazza del Campo" is
still used today for the well known Palio horse race
which is one of the most famous popular Italian
manifestations. It takes place every year on July 2 and
August 16. The Palio is run to celebrate the miraculous
apparition of the Virgin Mary near the old houses that
belonged to Provenzano Salvani. The holy apparition was
therefore called "Madonna di Provenzano" in whose honour
the very first Palio was run on August 16, 1656. The
Palio was run for the first time in 1701 in honour of
the "Madonna dell'Assunta" the patroness and Advocate of
Siena through all the tragic events since she protected
the Sienese militia at the famous battle of Monteaperti
on September 4, 1260, against the
Florentines.
The Palio is a historical secular
tradition strictly connected with the origin of the
Contradas of Siena (districts into which the town is
divided). The Contradas are spectacular agonistic
institutions each having their own government, oratory,
coat of arms, appellations, sometimes titles of
nobility, emblems and colours, official representatives,
festivities, patron Saints, with protectors, delimited
territories and population which consist of all those
people who were born or live within the topographic
limits of the district, according to the proclamation
issued by Violante Beatrice of Bavaria on January 7,
1730, at that time, Governess of the
town.
Continue reading...
|
|
