Why il Palio?

Siena is a beautiful town situated in Tuscany, about 45 miles south of Florence. It flourished in the 1400's. Since then, there had been regular races and competitions between the various neighborhoods, or 'contrade'. The first modern race was in 1656, and they are run annually, twice a year.

Here's a brief description, and it has been an event that I have always wanted to experience:

"Siena’s Piazza del Campo is a town square shaped like an oval slopping gently down to the Palazzo Pubblico and the Torre del Mangia, it is divided into sections representing the city’s nine rulers in the 1400s, known (bluntly enough) as the Council of Nine. But the Piazza’s striking medieval ambiance is not only due to the surrounding architecture – but for a race. For most of June, July and August, the entire city is devoted to Il Palio, a series of horse races held in the Piazza whose ancient passions makes the Kentucky Derby seem like a fly-by-night event. The festival’s contours have not changed since the 1100s, when members of the city’s 17 contrade, or town districts, began to compete with one another in track events. The two central races are held every July 2 and August 16, but the pageantry and excitement dominate Siena for the entire summer. "