Palio on:
[Wikipedia]
[Google]
[Amazon]
Palio is the name given in 
The
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
to an annual athletic contest, very often of a historical character, pitting the neighbourhoods of a town or the hamlets of a ''comune
The (; plural: ) is a local administrative division of Italy, roughly equivalent to a township or municipality. It is the third-level administrative division of Italy, after regions ('' regioni'') and provinces (''province''). The can also ...
'' against each other. Typically, they are fought in costume and commemorate some event or tradition of the Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...
and thus often involve horse racing, archery, jousting
Jousting is a martial game or hastilude between two horse riders wielding lances with blunted tips, often as part of a tournament. The primary aim was to replicate a clash of heavy cavalry, with each participant trying to strike the opponen ...
, crossbow
A crossbow is a ranged weapon using an elastic launching device consisting of a bow-like assembly called a ''prod'', mounted horizontally on a main frame called a ''tiller'', which is hand-held in a similar fashion to the stock of a long fire ...
shooting, and similar medieval sports. Once purely a matter of local rivalries, many have now become events that are staged with an eye to visitors and foreign tourists.
The Palio di Siena
The Palio di Siena (; known locally simply as ''Il Palio''), from Latin pallium,
plural form: Palii, is a horse race that is held twice each year, on 2 July and 16 August, in Siena, Italy. Ten horses and riders, bareback and dressed in the ...
is the only one that has been run without interruption since it started in the 1630s and is definitely the most famous all over the world. Its historical origins are documented since 1239 even though the version seen today was the final evolution of races held from the second half of the 16th century. In 1935, Italian Prime Minister Benito Mussolini sent out an official declaration that only the one of Siena could bring the designation of Palio. All other horse races held in various parts of Italy are actually just modern reenactments. After the Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
, nevertheless, many other palios arose throughout the various regions of Italy, which could be considered just attempts of imitation of the Palio di Siena
The Palio di Siena (; known locally simply as ''Il Palio''), from Latin pallium,
plural form: Palii, is a horse race that is held twice each year, on 2 July and 16 August, in Siena, Italy. Ten horses and riders, bareback and dressed in the ...
. Here is an incomplete list:
Italian Palios
Palios with horse races
Tuscany
* Palio of Bientina, third Sunday of July. * Palio of Buti in honor of St. Anthony the Abbot, * Palio di Castel del Piano of Castel del Piano, racing on September 8 * Palio delle Contrade, in Faella * Palio dei Rioni di Castiglion Fiorentino the third Sunday of June * Palio of Casole d'Elsa, Second Sunday of July * Palio ofPiancastagnaio
Piancastagnaio is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Siena in the Italian region Tuscany, located about southeast of Florence and about southeast of Siena.
It is located on the Monte Amiata slopes.
The main attractions include th ...
* Palio di Fucecchio, at the end of May.
* Palio in Montelaterone
Montelaterone () is a village in Tuscany, central Italy, administratively a frazione of the comune of Arcidosso, province of Grosseto, in the area of Mount Amiata. At the time of the 2001 census its population amounted to 283.Palio in
Monticiano
Monticiano is a town and ''comune'' on the right bank of the Val di Merse, Province of Siena, Tuscany, central Italy. The town is situated on the Colline Metallifere.
One of its ''frazioni'', Bagni di Petriolo, is popular for its thermal water ...
*Palio di Siena
The Palio di Siena (; known locally simply as ''Il Palio''), from Latin pallium,
plural form: Palii, is a horse race that is held twice each year, on 2 July and 16 August, in Siena, Italy. Ten horses and riders, bareback and dressed in the ...
, race is held July 2 and August 16
* Palio della Costa Etrusca in San Vincenzo (suspended)
* Palio del Valdarno, a Faella, in Pian di Scò
Pian di Scò is a ''frazione'' (municipality) in the Province of Arezzo in the Italian region Tuscany, located about southeast of Florence and about northwest of Arezzo, in the Valdarno. It was a separate commune until 2014, when it was me ...
* Palio in Pian di Scò
Pian di Scò is a ''frazione'' (municipality) in the Province of Arezzo in the Italian region Tuscany, located about southeast of Florence and about northwest of Arezzo, in the Valdarno. It was a separate commune until 2014, when it was me ...
, on August 7
* Palio delle Bandiere e dei Territori in Follonica
* Palio di San Luca in Impruneta
Impruneta is a town and '' comune'' of the Metropolitan City of Florence in the Italian region of Tuscany. The population is about 15,000.
Name and production
The name Impruneta is derived from ''inprunetis'' meaning "within the pine woods", and ...
in October
Lazio
* Corsa a vuoto ofRonciglione
Ronciglione (locally ) is a city and ''comune'' in the province of Viterbo, Lazio (central Italy), about from Viterbo. The city is located in the Cimini mountains, over two tuff scarps, on the SE slope of the former volcano crater now housing ...
, a Carnival feast. In August
* Palio del Tirreno of Maccarese
Maccarese is a locality in Lazio, Italy, in the Metropolitan City of Rome. Its administration is divided between the Municipalities of Rome ( Maccarese Nord) and Fiumicino, of which it is a ''frazione''.
It was entirely part of the Municipality of ...
-Fiumicino
Fiumicino () is a town and comune in the Metropolitan City of Rome, Lazio, central Italy, with a population of 80,500 (2019). It is known for being the site of Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport, the busiest airport in Italy and the eleventh-bu ...
, not held in 2008.
* Palio Madama Margarita di Castel Madama, every second Sunday in July.
* Palio dell'Arcata in Acquapendente Acquapendente is a city and ''comune'' in the province of Viterbo, in Lazio (Italy). Acquapendente is a centre for the agricultural production of vegetables and wine, and has a tradition of pottery craftsmanship.
History
The area of modern Acquapen ...
.
* Palio in Bomarzo
Bomarzo is a town and '' comune'' of the province of Viterbo ( Lazio, Central Italy), in the lower valley of the Tiber. It is located east-northeast of Viterbo and north-northwest of Rome.
History
The city's current name is a derivation o ...
* Palio del Tributo in Priverno Priverno is a town, ''comune'' in the province of Latina, Lazio, central Italy. It was called ''Piperno'' until 1927.
It has a station of the Rome-Naples railway mainline. Nearby is the Monti Lepini chain. It was the birthplace of the canonist Reg ...
* Palio of Tolfa Tolfa is a town and ''comune'' of the Metropolitan City of Rome, in the Lazio region of central Italy; it lies to the ENE of Civitavecchia by road.
It is the main center in the Monti della Tolfa, an extinct volcanic group between Civitavecchia an ...
last Sunday in August.
* Palio of Sacrofano, Second Sunday in September.
* Corsa of Formello
Formello is a town and ''comune'' in the Metropolitan City of Rome. It is located southwest of the Monti Sabatini, within the Regional Park of Veii. The communal territory is mostly composed by tuff, and is intensively cultivated.
History
The are ...
, on August 10.
* Palio di San Matteo, on September 22
* Corsa al Fantino in Capranica
* Corsa in Campagnano di Roma
* Palio of Selci in September.
* Corsa of Monterosi, on September 15
* Carosello Storico dei Rioni of Cori, in June and July.
* Pallio della Carriera in Carpineto Romano ( RM).
* Palio delle Quattro Porte – Vallecorsa
Lombardy
* Palio della Valle Olona *Palio di Legnano
The Palio di Legnano (; known locally simply as ''Il Palio'') is a traditional event generally held on the last Sunday of May in the City Of Legnano, Italy, to recall the Battle of Legnano held on 29 May 1176 by the Lombard League and the Holy ...
, Last Sunday in May
* Palio di S.Pietro at Abbiategrasso
Abbiategrasso, formerly written Abbiate Grasso. (local lmo, Biegrass ; lmo, label= Milanese, Biaa ), is a ''comune'' and town in the Metropolitan City of Milan, Lombardy, northern Italy, situated in the Po valley approximately from Milan and ...
* Palio degli Asini in Premosello
* Palio of Rho, Second Sunday in October.
* Palio di Avucat at Caponago
Caponago is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Monza and Brianza in the Italian region Lombardy, located about northeast of Milan.
Caponago borders the following municipalities: Agrate Brianza, Cambiago, Pessano con Bornago, Caruga ...
, second Sunday in September
Piedmont
* Palio di Asti, every third Sunday In September * Palio dei Borghi ofFossano
Fossano ( pms, Fossan) is a town and ''comune'' of Piedmont, northern Italy. It is the fourth largest town of the Province of Cuneo, after Cuneo, Alba and Bra.
It lies on the main railway line from Turin to Cuneo and to Savona, and has a branch l ...
, at the end of June.
* Palio storico dei Borghi di Avigliana, at Avigliana
Avigliana (Piedmontese: ''Vijan-a'' ; French : ''Veillane'') is a town and '' comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Turin in the Piedmont region or Italy, with 12,480 inhabitants as of January 1, 2017. It lies about west of Turin ...
, Third Sunday in June
Sardinia
* Palio of Cagliari * Palio dei Comuni ofFonni
Fonni ( sc, Fonne) is a town and '' comune'' in Sardinia, in the province of Nuoro ( Italy).
It is the highest town in Sardinia, and situated among fine scenery with some chestnut woods. Fonni is a winter sports centre with a ski lift to Monte ...
, First Sunday In June
* Palio dei Comuni of Goceano
* Palio "Sas Carrelas", at Bono
* Palio of Sassari
Umbria
* Palio (Giostra) del Giglio at Monteleone d'Orvieto, 16 August * Palio di Nera Montoro in SeptemberVeneto
* Palio di Feltre First Sunday in August. Horse race and Archery contest * Palio dei 10 Comuni del Montagnanese, at Montagnana, first Sunday in September * Palio delle contrade di Monselice Second and Third Sunday in September.Marche
* Palio dell'Assunta diFermo
Fermo (ancient: Firmum Picenum) is a town and ''comune'' of the Marche, Italy, in the Province of Fermo.
Fermo is on a hill, the Sabulo, elevation , on a branch from Porto San Giorgio on the Adriatic coast railway.
History
The oldest hu ...
, on August 15
* Palio of Montegiorgio
Montegiorgio is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Fermo in the Italian region Marche, located about south of Ancona and about north of Ascoli Piceno.
Montegiorgio borders the following municipalities: Belmonte Piceno, Falerone, Ferm ...
* Palio of Sant'Emidio also called ''Quintana'' in Ascoli Piceno
* Corsa del Drappo in Loreto, on September 7
* Contesa della Margutta a Corridonia
Corridonia is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Macerata in the Italian region Marche, located about south of Ancona and about southeast of Macerata.
Corridonia was called, until 1931, Pausula. The name was changed by Benito Mussoli ...
, early September
* Palio della miniera di zolfo di Cabernardi, early August
* Palio dei Castelli in San Severino Marche
San Severino Marche is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Macerata in the Italian region Marche, located about southwest of Ancona and about southwest of Macerata.
History
From prehistory to Roman age
The oldest remains of human pre ...
, early June.
Emilia-Romagna
* Palio di Ferrara, Last Sunday in May * Palio del Maggio, at Savigno in May. * Palio delle contrade in San Secondo Parmense * Palio di Parma, * Palio del Niballo, at Faenza * Palio di Giovecca, at Giovecca * Palio of MordanoSicily
* Palio of Butera * Palio ofPiazza Armerina
Piazza Armerina ( Gallo-Italic of Sicily: ''Ciazza''; Sicilian: ''Chiazza'') is a ''comune'' in the province of Enna of the autonomous island region of Sicily, southern Italy.
History
The city of Piazza (as it was called before 1862) developed ...
, August 11 to 13.
* Palio dell'Ascensione in Floridia
Floridia (; scn, Ciuriḍḍia ; from Latin "day of Flora" or the adjective ''floridus'' "florid") is a town and ''comune'' in the Province of Syracuse, Sicily (Italy).
Geography
Floridia lies west of Syracuse. Its principal industries are ...
* Palio di San Vincenzo, in Acate
Basilicata
* Palio di Sant'Antonio abate in Pignola, on January 17, a race with Horses, donkeys and mulesAbruzzo
* Palio della Giostra Cavalleresca inSulmona
Sulmona ( nap, label= Abruzzese, Sulmóne; la, Sulmo; grc, Σουλμῶν, Soulmôn) is a city and ''comune'' of the province of L'Aquila in Abruzzo, Italy. It is located in the Valle Peligna, a plain once occupied by a lake that disappeared in ...
Last Saturday and Sunday of July
* Palio della Giostra Cavalleresca dei Borghi più Belli d'Italia – in Sulmona
Sulmona ( nap, label= Abruzzese, Sulmóne; la, Sulmo; grc, Σουλμῶν, Soulmôn) is a city and ''comune'' of the province of L'Aquila in Abruzzo, Italy. It is located in the Valle Peligna, a plain once occupied by a lake that disappeared in ...
* Palio della Giostra Cavalleresca d'Europa – Sulmona
Sulmona ( nap, label= Abruzzese, Sulmóne; la, Sulmo; grc, Σουλμῶν, Soulmôn) is a city and ''comune'' of the province of L'Aquila in Abruzzo, Italy. It is located in the Valle Peligna, a plain once occupied by a lake that disappeared in ...
Puglia
* Palio del Viccio of Palo del Colle – held at carnival.Palios with donkey races
Umbria
* Giochi de le Porte ofGualdo Tadino
Gualdo Tadino (Latin: ''Tadinum'') is an ancient town of Italy, in the province of Perugia in northeastern Umbria, on the lower flanks of Monte Penna, a mountain of the Apennines. It is NE of Perugia.
History
Gualdo has a long history and was o ...
Lombardy
* Corsa cogli Asini of Dairago * Palio degli Asini inBereguardo
Bereguardo ( Lombard: ''Balguàrt'') is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Pavia in the Italian region Lombardy, located about southwest of Milan and about northwest of Pavia.
Bereguardo borders the following municipalities: Borgo S ...
* Palio del Cinghiale, in Cesano Boscone
Piedmont
*Palio degli Asini di Alba inAlba
''Alba'' ( , ) is the Scottish Gaelic name for Scotland. It is also, in English language historiography, used to refer to the polity of Picts and Scots united in the ninth century as the Kingdom of Alba, until it developed into the Kingdom ...
*Palio degli Asini di Cocconato in Cocconato
Cocconato is a '' comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Asti in the Italian region Piedmont, located about east of Turin and about northwest of Asti.
Cocconato borders the following municipalities: Aramengo, Brozolo, Montiglio Monferrato, ...
*Palio degli Asini di Quarto d'Asti in Quarto d'Asti
*Paglio ragliante di Calliano in Calliano
* Palio dei Borghi in Venaria
Toscana
* Palio dei Ciuchi of Campagnatico, in September * Palio dei Micci of Pozzi, frazione di Seravezza * Palio dei Ciuchi of Carmignano, in September * Palio dei somari of Bagnolo * Palio dei somari of Torrita di Siena * Palio dei Somari ofMontepulciano Stazione
Montepulciano Stazione is a town in Tuscany, central Italy, administratively a frazione of the comune of Montepulciano, province of Siena. At the time of the 2001 census its population was 1,507.Giostra dei sestrieri, Palio dei Ciuchi of
Roccatederighi
Roccatederighi is a village in Tuscany, central Italy, administratively a frazione of the comune of Roccastrada, province of Grosseto. At the time of the 2001 census its population amounted to 846.Palio de' Ciui of Lugnano
* Palio dei somarelli of Vallerona
Official website
/ref>
Il Palio Di Siena Official SiteIl Palio Di Siena English SiteGiostra del SaracinoPalio of AstiPalio of SienaPalio of FerraraPalio dei Rioni, Castiglion FiorentinoPalio Madama MargaritaPalio of LegnanoPalio della balestra VolterraCertame della Contea di PopoliPalio of San RufinoPalio dei 10 ComuniOttava di S. Egidio – Palio of archery
Tourism in Italy Italian traditions Festivals in Italy Sports originating in Italy
Campania
* " Il Palio di Somma Vesuviana", second Sunday in September * " Palio del casale", Palio Nazionale degli asini,Camposano
Camposano ( nap, Cambasànë) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Naples in the Italian region Campania, located about northeast of Naples.
Camposano borders the following municipalities: Cicciano, Cimitile, Comiziano, No ...
* " Palio del ciuccio", Cuccaro Vetere
Cuccaro Vetere ( Cilentan: ''Cuccare'') is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Salerno in the Campania region of south-western Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in So ...
.
Lazio
* Palio delle Contrade, in Gonfalone di Arpino. * Palio delleContrade
A (plural: ) is a subdivision (of various types) of Italian city, now unofficial. Depending on the case, a will be a ''località'', a ''rione'', a ''quartiere'' (''terziere'', etc.), a '' borgo'', or even a suburb. The best-known are the 1 ...
of Corchiano, First Sunday in August
* Palio delle Contrade of Allumiere
* Palio di San Ciro at Sora
Marche
* Palio del Somaro in Mercatello sul MetauroEmilia-Romagna
* Palio di Ferrara * Palio di Parma, * Palio dei somari ofGrizzana Morandi
Grizzana Morandi (Bolognese dialect, Medial Mountain Bolognese: ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Bologna in the Italy, Italian region Emilia-Romagna, located about southwest of Bologna. The town is summer holiday resort ...
Friuli
* Palio dei Borghi diFagagna
Fagagna ( fur, Feagne) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Udine in the Italian region Friuli-Venezia Giulia, located about northwest of Trieste and about northwest of Udine. As of 2011, it had a population of 6,279 and an area of . ...
, second Sunday in September.
Palios with boat races (''Palii remieri'')
Tuscany
* Palio dell'Argentario, inPorto Santo Stefano
Porto Santo Stefano () is a seaport town on the west coast of Italy, in the municipality of Monte Argentario, in the Province of Grosseto, Tuscany. It is the municipal seat of Monte Argentario and one of the two major towns that form the townshi ...
, August 15
* Palio di Calcinaia of Calcinaia
Calcinaia (Latin: ''Vicus Vitri'') is a ''comune'' (municipality) and town in the province of Pisa in the Italian region Tuscany, located about west of Florence and about east of Pisa.
Calcinaia borders the following municipalities: Bientina, C ...
* Palio di San Ranieri, in Arno
The Arno is a river in the Tuscany region of Italy. It is the most important river of central Italy after the Tiber.
Source and route
The river originates on Monte Falterona in the Casentino area of the Apennines, and initially takes a ...
and Pisa on June 17
* Palio Madonna del Lago of Massaciuccoli, since 1967.
Liguria
* Palio Marinaro di San Pietro, atGenoa
Genoa ( ; it, Genova ; lij, Zêna ). is the capital of the Italian region of Liguria and the sixth-largest city in Italy. In 2015, 594,733 people lived within the city's administrative limits. As of the 2011 Italian census, the Province of ...
, first Sunday of July
* Palio del Golfo, at La Spezia, first Sunday of August
* Palio dei Sestieri, in Ventimiglia
Ventimiglia (; lij, label= Intemelio, Ventemiglia , lij, label= Genoese, Vintimiggia; french: Vintimille ; oc, label= Provençal, Ventemilha ) is a resort town in the province of Imperia, Liguria, northern Italy. It is located southwest of ...
, second Sunday in August
* Regata dei Rioni di Noli, in Noli, Second Sunday in September
Apulia
* Palio ofTaranto
Taranto (, also ; ; nap, label= Tarantino, Tarde; Latin: Tarentum; Old Italian: ''Tarento''; Ancient Greek: Τάρᾱς) is a coastal city in Apulia, Southern Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Taranto, serving as an important com ...
Trentino
* Palio dell'Oca, in TrentoVeneto
* Regata Storica, inVenice
Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 bridges. The isla ...
/ref>
Calabria
* Palio di San Giorgio, in Reggio Calabria, on April 23Lazio
* Palio del mare of GaetaPalios with weapons
Tuscany
* Palio della balestra inLucca
Lucca ( , ) is a city and ''comune'' in Tuscany, Central Italy, on the Serchio River, in a fertile plain near the Ligurian Sea. The city has a population of about 89,000, while its province has a population of 383,957.
Lucca is known as one ...
, on July 12, a crossbow contest
* Palio in Pescia
Pescia () is an Italian city in the province of Pistoia, Tuscany, central Italy.
It is located in a central zone between the cities Lucca and Florence, on the banks of the river of the same name.
History
Archaeological excavations have suggest ...
, an archery contest
* Disfida con l'Arco in Montopoli in Val d'Arno (Pi), an archery contest
* Palio del Diotto in Scarperia
Scarperia is a ''frazione'' of the ''comune'' (municipality) of Scarperia e San Piero, located in the Metropolitan City of Florence, in Tuscany, Italy, about north of Florence. It was an independent comune until 1 January 2014.
Main sights
* Ch ...
, on September 8 (one of the games is a knife-throwing)
Umbria
* Palio di San Rufino in Assisi, a crossbow competition * Palio dei Terzieri, in August, an archery contestLazio
* Palio ofOrte
Orte is a town, ''comune'', former Catholic bishopric and Latin titular see in the province of Viterbo, in the central Italian region of Lazio, located about north of Rome and about east of Viterbo.
Geography
Orte is situated in the Tiber vall ...
, an archery contest
Friuli
* Palio di San Donato, inCividale del Friuli
Cividale del Friuli ( fur, Cividât (locally ); german: Östrich; sl, Čedad) is a town and '' comune'' in the Province of Udine, part of the North-Italian Friuli Venezia Giulia ''regione''. The town lies above sea-level in the foothills of th ...
, last Sunday in August, an archery contest
* Palio of Cordovado, first Sunday of September, an archery contest with a medieval costume parade
Emilia-Romagna
* Palio di Santa Reparata e della Romagna Toscana, in Terra del Sole, a crossbow contestVeneto
* Palio della Marciliana, inChioggia
Chioggia (; vec, Cióxa , locally ; la, Clodia) is a coastal town and ''comune'' of the Metropolitan City of Venice in the Veneto region of northern Italy.
Geography
The town is situated on a small island at the southern entrance to the L ...
, a crossbow contest.
References
External links
{{Commons category, PaliosIl Palio Di Siena Official Site
Tourism in Italy Italian traditions Festivals in Italy Sports originating in Italy