The Palio is what makes Siena famous. It happens twice a year but the town gears up for it year round. Within the walled city of Siena there are 17 contrade or neighborhoods. These contrade are small, lasting only a few blocks, but it is important to distinguish where one ends and the other begins. All Sienese belong to one of these neighborhoods depending on where they were born. Each contrada has their own mascot, flag, church, museum, club, government and saint. I currently live in the Elephant district and my school is located in the Porcupine district - where my teacher is from and according to her, the best contrada. The flags that adorn the town starting in early spring and continue through the summer show the different mascots. Every contrada has one main enemy - the contrada that is its neighbor. So, for example, the Porcupine and the She Wolf are enemies and also located physically right next to each other. This could make for some tension between neighbors.
The Palio started in 1329 and the actual "Palio" is a silk banner that is hand painted every year. It must have either the Virgin Mary or st. Madonna on it as well as the symbols of the contrade who competed that year. The Palio is the prize for winning but pride is the real achievement. Every year on July 2nd and August 16, 10 of the 17 contrade compete in a 3 lap horse race around the Piazza del Campo. Thousands of people are jammed into the center of the campo as well as in bleachers set up around the shops. One horse from each contrade races around the track furiously to make the finish line. Usually horses wipe out but luckily only some of the riders suffer mild injuries.
The days leading up to the Palio are filled with parties, celebrations and traditions. There are flag throwers, drummers, parades and many medieval costumes. The night before the Palio, hundreds of people gather in the streets to take part in an outdoor dinner with lots of food and music and socializing. The actual day is filled with excitement, anticipation and lots of emotion. The horses and their riders are blessed within their churches (yes the horses go in too) and then make the parade down to the Campo. After a brutal, loud, adrenaline filled three laps the winner is crowned - there is yelling, joy, laughter, excitement as well as tears, rage and sometimes fights. This is serious business and an integral part of these people. The winning contrada spends the next week in full out party mode and has bragging rights for a whole year. The also begin to plan a giant celebration in September to commemorate their win. The winning jockey is paid over 300,000 euro and the second place contrada goes into hiding.
It is an exciting tradition that these people take extremely seriously but also in good fun. It has gone on for centuries and only ever stopped due to war. At one point the Pope found out that the Sienese were letting horses go into the church to be blessed for the race and he condemned it. This outraged the people so much that when the Pope did come to visit, no one showed up to see him.

My goal is to come back in July to see the Palio and take part in this lively tradition!