Executive summary by darmansjah
Piazza del Campo is the principal public space of the
historic center of Siena, Tuscany, Italy and is regarded as one of Europe's
greatest medieval squares. It is renowned worldwide for its beauty and
architectural integrity. The Palazzo Pubblico and its Torre del Mangia, as well
as various palazzi signorili surround the shell-shaped piazza. At the northwest
edge is the Fonte Gaia.
The twice-a-year horse-race, Palio di Siena, is held around
the edges of the piazza.
The Palio di Siena is a horse race that is held twice each
year, on July 2 and August 16, in Siena, Italy. Ten horses and riders, bareback
and dressed in the appropriate colours, represent ten of the seventeen
contrade, or city wards. The Palio held on July 2 is named Palio di Provenzano,
in honour of the Madonna of Provenzano, who has a church in Siena. The Palio
held on August 16 is named Palio dell'Assunta, in honour of the Assumption of
Mary.
A pageant, the Corteo Storico, 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 dirt has been laid, three times
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 usual to see unmounted horses finishing the race
without their jockeys.
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