Palio di Siena

The Palio di Siena (pronounced; known locally simply as Il Palio; from Latinpallium) is a horse race held twice each year, on 2 July and 16 August, in Siena, Italy. Ten horses and riders, bareback and dressed in the appropriate colours, represent ten of the seventeen contrade, or city wards, in a tradition dating back to the 17th century. The Palio held on 2 July is named Palio di Provenzano, in honour of the Madonna of Provenzano, a Marian devotion particular to Siena which developed around an icon from the area of the city. The Palio held on 16 August is named Palio dell'Assunta, in honour of the Assumption of Mary.

Of seventeen wards, or contrade, in the comune of Siena, only ten compete in each Palio. The seven contrade that did not take part in that month of the previous year are automatically included; three more are chosen by draw. The Corteo Storico, a pageant to the sound of the March of the Palio, precedes the race, which attracts visitors and spectators from around the world.

The race itself, in which the jockeys ride bareback, circles the Piazza del Campo, on which a thick layer of earth has been laid. The race is run for three laps of the piazza and usually lasts no more than 90 seconds. It is common for a few of the jockeys to be thrown off their horses while making the treacherous turns in the piazza, and indeed, it is not unusual to see riderless horses finishing the race. A horse is not required to have a rider to win the race.

The most recent winner of the Palio was Nicchio, the seashell, on August 18, 2026, with the rider Giovanni Atzeni known as Tittia and his horse, Anda e Bola. This was the first win for Nicchio since 1998.