Tucked in the rolling hills of Tuscany, the walled city of Siena draws nearly one million visitors a year. Many of them visit this hill-top town for only two days of the year for this event. Il Palio di Siena (the name of the race) is far more than a horse race. It is a living expression of neighborhood pride, centuries of tradition and fierce community loyalty that runs through every stone of the city's famous Piazza del Campo (town square).
Il Palio di Siena is a horse race held twice a year, on July 2nd and August 16th, in Siena's central medieval square, the Piazza del Campo. Ten of the city's 17 neighborhood districts, called contrade (district), compete in each race. Riders race bareback, with no saddle, completing three laps of the piazza (town square) in approximately 90 seconds. The prize is a hand-painted silk banner: the Palio. Each contrada has its own symbol, colors, motto, allies and rival contrade, making the competition deeply personal for every resident of the city.
I first heard about this tradition when I was six years-old. Although it wasn’t until two years later, when I felt the pure excitement of waiting in the piazza for hours to watch the horses speed by.
