The Palio and its Contrade

Shannon McCormick

3 Sections of Contrade

• Terziere di Citta• Terziere di San Martino• Terziere di Camollia

Terziere di Cita

Aquila

• Yellow striped with black and blue

• Eagle• Last win: 3 July 1992

Fun Facts– They have the only girl jockey

to race in the Palio– It rivals with the Panther– Its rivalry did not come from

boundary issues but they were originally allies and in 1936 the jockeys had such a hate for each other things grew tense

Chiocciola

• Snail• Red and Yellow with

cobalt blue borders• Last Win: August 16th

1999

Fun Facts• Its rivalry with the tortoise

is one of the most ancient and intense rivals

• In 1482 it battled the Giraffe with wooden wagons in the shape of their animals and was the first time two districts are associated with an animal

Onda

• White and Blue• Wave• ***Last Win: July 2nd

1995

Fun Facts• It rivals Torre• Onda has been called

“contrada capitana” because its soldiers once guarded the Palazzo Pubblico

• One famous member was a sculptor Giovanni Dupre

Pantera

• Panther• Red and Blue with

White• Last win: July 2nd 2006

Fun Facts• It rivals Aquila• Its citizens were

traditionally grocers and chemists

Selva

• Forest• Green and Orange

Striped with White• Last win: July 2nd 2010

Fun Facts• It has no rivals but used

to rival Panther over territorial issues

• La Selva was the country of the hunters

• When contrade were military they were known for being good archers

Tartuca

• Tortoise• Yellow and Blue• Last Win: August 16th

2010

Fun Facts• It rivals Chiocciola and

clashes go back to before 1652

• It was born in the oldest part of Siena the “repentant Castelvecchio”

Terziere di San Martino

Civetta

• Owl• Black and Red with

white bands• Last Win: August 16th

2009

Fun Facts• It rivals with Leocorno

and is a very recent rivalry

• Its residents were traditionally shoemakers

• Civetta was considered the “nonna” or grandmother for many years because it had not won the Palio for so long

Leocorno

• Unicorn• White and orange with

a blue border• Last Win: August 16th

2007

Fun Facts• The Leocorno changed

its name over time it was officially “Unicorn” for a little but went back to its ancient name

• Its Holy Patron Saint is Saint John the Baptist

Nicchio

• Shell• Blue with bands of red

and yellow • Last Win: August 16th

1998

Fun Facts• It is one of the four

noble contrade• They earned the title

when their soldiers let the battle of Montaperti

• Their motto is “it is the red of the coral that burns in my heart”

Torre

• Tower• Dark red with white and

blue• Last win: August 16th

2005

Fun Facts• It has two big rivalries

with Goose and the Wave• The rivalry with the goose

is one of the most intense and came from economic issues

• The Wave was once aligned with Torre but betrayed them for the Goose

Valdimontone

• Also known just as Montone

• Ram• White and Yellow with

Red bands• Last Win: August 16th,

1990

Fun Facts• The district comes from

“Montorio”, a Roman commander that lived in the area

• It was the first contrade to be disqualified

• It rivals the Shell

Terziere di Camollia

Bruco

• Caterpillar• Yellow and Green with

Blue Bands• Last win: August 16th

2008

Fun Facts• It was the first contrade

to have a foreign jockey• It is one of the four

noble contrade– It earned its title by

helping defeat Charles IV in 1369

Drago

• Dragon• Red and Green with

Yellow Bands• Last win: August 16th

2001

Fun Facts• Its residents were

traditionally bankers• It is the only Contrada

that has never had an enemy

Giraffa

• Giraffe• White and red• Last win: July 2nd 2004

• Its motto is “the higher the head, the greater the glory”

• Residents were originally painters

• It is the only imperial contrada– This happened in 1936

and was bestowed by King Vittorio Emanuele III

Istrice

• Porcupine• White, red, black and

blue bands• Last win: July 2nd 2008

Fun Facts• This contrade has the title

of sovereign because it ran the Sovereign Military Order of Malta in the 14th century

• Its motto is I prick only for self-defense

• It rivals with the Wolf whom it was once allies with

Lupa

• She-Wolf• Black and white with

orange bands• Last win: July 2nd 1989

• In the thirties Eagle, Drago, Wolf and Ram were part of an alliance called “little fourfold” and won many victories together

• Lupa’s sister city is Rome because it represents the legend of the she-wolf

• Its residents were originally bankers

Oca

• Goose• White and green with

red bands• Last win: July 2nd 2007

• This is another noble contrade because of its efforts in the Battles of Montaperti and Montemaggio

• The Goose has the most wins in the history of the Palio (63 since 1644)

• It rivals the Torre which is the only non-border rivalry

Bibliography

• "The Contrades of the Palio of Siena." About Siena, n.d. Web. 22 Jun 2011. <http://www.aboutsiena.com/Palio-races-of-Siena/the-contrades-of-the-palio-of-Siena.html>.

• "The Palio Horse Race." Palio di Siena. il Palio, n.d. Web. 22 Jun 2011. http://www.ilpalio.org/palioenglish.htm