The Palio di Siena is a legendary bareback horse race held twice a year in the Tuscan city of Siena, Italy. Not only is it just a sporting event, but also a piece of history preserved in its most original form. The race is not about money or big sponsorship but rather a medival tradition that represents local pride.
Palio di Siena: Origins
The origins of the Palio di Siena date back to the Middle Ages, when horse races and martial games were held to celebrate religious festivals and display civic pride. Siena, a powerful and independent city-state during the medieval period, often organized contests in its central square to mark important events, such as victories in battle or patron saints’ days. The modern Palio evolved from these early traditions in the 16th and 17th centuries, replacing earlier races with bulls and buffaloes that had been banned for safety reasons. By the 1600s, the horse race around the Piazza del Campo had become the centerpiece of Sienese identity, embodying the city’s fierce local loyalties and its enduring spirit of competition.
Palio di Siena: Symbolistic dress
On race day, the Palio di Siena is as much a feast for the eyes as it is a thrilling competition. Each jockey, or fantino, wears the silks of their contrada, brightly colored with bold patterns and symbols that represent their district’s identity, from the Eagle to the Snail.
The horses themselves are often decorated with matching ribbons and small banners, emphasising their connection to the contrada they represent. Spectators, too, contribute to the pageantry, dressing in their contrada’s colours, waving flags, and singing traditional songs. The combination of medieval costumes in the corteo storico, the vibrant jockey silks, and the sea of color-filled balconies transforms Siena into a living tapestry, where every detail reinforces community pride and centuries of tradition.
Palio di Siena: Raceday
Each race pits ten of Siena’s seventeen contrades (neighbourhoods) against one another. Every contrade has its own flag and mascot, which brings communities together. They prepare all year for the Palio di Siena, with alliances and rivalries all playing a part. There are only 10 horses in each Palio. Seven of the ten are automatically chosen from the ones that did not race in the same Palio the previous year. The other three places are picked by lottery.
In the days before the race the Siena transforms the Piazza del Campo (the main square). For most of the year, it is a peaceful open space where all can admire the Gothic architecture. Come race time the square undergoes a transformation. Workers cover the outer ring of the piazza with a thick layer of tufa (a type of soft clay and sand). Woden safety barriers are built around the tighter corners. The inner part of the square is filled with around 30,000 spectators.
Wooden stands are constructed all around the track for spectators. Residents with apartments overlooking the square often rent them out.
As for the decorations, no expense is spared. Each contrada decorates its section of the city with flags, banners and colours that symbolise its identity and pride. The whole city becomes a stage on which local pride is expressed.
The track itself is not a typical shape. It is a unique, shell-shaped track that follows the natural curve of Siena’s Piazza del Campo, one of the most beautiful medieval squares in Italy. The square’s distinctive concave design, sloping gently toward the centre, creates both a breathtaking setting and a dangerous challenge for the riders.
The track is about 333 meters long and is laid out along the outer edge of the piazza, covered with a thick layer of packed tufa clay to protect the horses’ legs. Its tight, uneven turns, especially at San Martino and Casato, demand extraordinary skill and courage from the jockeys, who ride bareback at high speed. The inner area of the piazza, where thousands of spectators gather, becomes a vibrant amphitheatre surrounded by historic buildings, including the Palazzo Pubblico and its tall Torre del Mangia.
This distinctive shape makes the Palio not just a race of speed, but one of agility, balance, and nerve a thrilling contest between human daring and the twisting heart of Siena itself.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe selection process for the race
The jockey becomes a local hero. Contrades negotiate for jockeys, usually coming from Sardinia, where bareback horse racing is traditional. Some jockeys become legendary figures while others are branded traitors for switching contrades.
The horse selection, known as the “Tratta” is a vital part of the race. About 10 days before the Palio, horses are brought into the Piazza del Campo from stables in the surrounding countryside. These horses are selected by lottery, not by the Contrade themselves, to maintain fairness. This random allocation means even a wealthy or prestigious Contrada can receive a weaker horse, adding to the unpredictability and drama.
On Raceday, the horse is brought into the contradas church to be blessed by the local priest. This ritual emphasises that the horse, not the jockey, is the true hero.
The final moment of preparation before the race
Each horse, adorned in the contrada’s colours, is led through the crowded medieval streets to the square. Drummers and flag bearers march ahead, creating a rhythmic, dramatic atmosphere. The crowds line the streets to cheer, touch the horse for luck, and show support.
Palio di Siena: The Race
The race itself is three laps around the piazza, lasting around 90 seconds. Crashes and falls are common due to the sharp turns and packed crowds. Even a riderless horse can win if it crosses the line first.
The start is known as the La Mossa. Nine horses stand between ropes, with the tenth horse (chosen by lottery) deciding when the race starts by charging in. The start is rarely clean and often delays the race by an hour. Jockeys jostle, fake starts, and alliances unfold.
Alliances, although well known, are hidden. They play a vital part of the Palio di Siena, turning the race into a complex game of strategy and politics. Each contrada forms friendships or enmities that can last for centuries, shaping their actions both on and off the track. Some cooperate to help each other win, while others focus solely on blocking traditional rivals, sometimes more intent on making an enemy lose than on victory itself. Behind the scenes, secret deals and bribes between contrade and jockeys influence tactics, with shifting loyalties and betrayals adding to the drama. These alliances reveal that the Palio is not just a horse race but a living reflection of Siena’s medieval diplomacy, where skill, cunning, and rivalry are as important as speed.
Embed from Getty ImagesIn conclusion, the Palio di Siena is far more than a horse race; it is a vibrant celebration of history, community, and tradition. From its medieval origins to the dramatic race-day spectacle, every detail, from the jockeys’ colourful silks to the shell-shaped Piazza del Campo, reflects centuries of Sienese identity and pride. The race is as much about strategy, alliances, and local loyalties as it is about speed and skill, making each Palio unpredictable and thrilling. Ultimately, the Palio endures because it embodies the spirit of Siena itself: a city where history, rivalry, and communal passion come alive in a burst of colour, noise, and excitement every summer.
This has been the second instalment of Gallop the Globe. Previous instalments can be found HERE. Next stop on our world tour of weird and wonderful horse races is Chile for the El Ensayo.