Contrade of Siena
contrada plural contrade generally district within italian countryside city siena term indicates urban ward whose representative race horseback palio di siena run twice every year july august sienese contrada named animal symbol long history complicated heraldic semimythological association contrade district set middle age order supply troop many military company hired defend siena fought preserve independence florence nearby city state passage time however contrade lost administrative military function become area localised patriotism community held together history emotion sense civic pride resident role broadened st century every important event – baptism death marriage church holiday victory palio even wine food festival – celebrated within one contrada sienas organization definitively revised governor princess violante von bayern intramuros ward every contrada museum church fountain baptismal font motto allied contrada oca lupa ally adversary contrada typically neighbor four bruco drago giraffa selva declared adversary aquila situated immediately southwest piazza del campo centre city home duomo cathedral traditionally resident notary last victory july andrea de gortes vinegar galleggiante official victory aquila symbol doubleheaded black eagle holding orb sword sceptre colour yellow trimmed blue black aquila one four nobile noble contrade title bestowed habsburg emperor charles v gratitude warm reception received contradas museum home oldest surviving palio di siena banner also called palio date aquila patron saint la vergine name holy maria titulary festival celebrated september allied civetta owl drago dragon contrade opposed pantera panther contrada since bruco situated north piazza del campo traditionally resident worked silk trade brucos symbol crowned caterpillar crawling rose colour green yellow trimmed blue bruco one four nobile noble contrade title earned people bravery helping defeat charles iv consolidated led revolt replace sienese council people government sede via del comune patron saint madonna visitation sainted mary titulary feast july motto come rivoluzion sona il mio nome revolution sound name allied istrice nicchio torre contrade officially opposed contrade traditional animosity neighbouring giraffa giraffe ended formally last victory august official victory chiocciola situated southwestern corner city traditionally resident worked terracotta maker chiocciolas motto “with slow deliberate step snail take field triumph” district’s patron saint apostle peter paul feast day june chiocciolas rival tartuca tortoise ally istrice porcupine pantera panther selva forest last palio victory august expression siena “the people snail drowners saints” losing palio contrada angry threw statue saint anthony patron saint horse well statue wasn’t removed district colour red yellow trimmed blue civetta situated immediately north piazza del campo centre city traditionally resident shoemaker civettas symbol crowned owl sitting branch colour red black striped white motto vedo nella notte see night year civetta considered nonna grandmother palio year civetta palio august thereby losing name nonna august civetta palio september member civetta contrada held street celebration honor victory civetta’s ally aquila giraffa istrice pantera rival leocorno since drago situated northwest piazza del campo traditionally resident banker dragos symbol flying golden dragon carrying banner letter u colour pink green trimmed yellow drago palio july july july drago’s ally aquila drago never rival contrada giraffa affluent area city situated northeast piazza del campo traditionally resident painter giraffa symbol giraffe led moor ribbon bearing motto humbertus dedit umberto gave colour white red giraffa title contrada imperiale imperial contrada title bestowed king vittorio emanuele iii palio year race dedicated italy empire east africa giraffa palio nd july ally civetta istrice pantera currently enemy rivalry bruco ended istrice occupies northwesternmost edge siena contains san vincenzo e anastasio church home city oldest surviving fresco burial place pinturicchio traditionally resident blacksmith istrices symbol porcupine colour white red blue black istrice’s adversary contrada lupa shewolf since allied contradas bruco chiocciola civetta giraffa motto sol per difesa io pungo prick selfdefense istrice title contrada sovrana sovereign contrada bestowed title sovereign military order malta result headquartering order th century templar mansion located territory via malta istrice last palio july leocorno situated east piazza del campo traditionally resident goldsmith leocornos symbol unicorn rampant motto humberti regio gratia kingdom grace umberto colour orange white bordered blue leocorno palio august year last win august leocorno’s ally pantera tartuca rival civetta since lupa situated north piazza del campo traditionally resident lupa baker lupas symbol female wolf nursing twin color black white trimmed orange shewolf contrada refers legend siena founded senius aschius son remus raised wolf lupas sister city rome lupa museum prize exhibit photograph giuseppe garibaldi donated contrada victory palio di siena lupa palio august lupa ally rival istrice since nicchio situated far eastern corner city traditionally resident worked potter nicchios symbol crowned scallop shell flanked two branch coral colour blue yellow red trim nicchio one four nobile noble contrade earned title bravery shown battle montaperti florence soldier led attack nicchio’s ally bruco onda tartuca rival valdimontone since oca situated west piazza del campo traditionally resident made dye oca symbol crowned goose wearing around neck blue ribbon marked cross savoy colour green white red trim oca one four nobile noble contrade earned title people bravery many battle fought former sienese republic recent palio win oca august race jockey carlo sanna riding zio frac oca ally adversary torre since onda run south piazza del campo centre city traditionally resident carpenter ondas symbol dolphin colour white sky blue contrada describes colour heaven force sea onda title contrada capitana captain contrada past soldier mounted guard palazzo pubblico famous member onda sculptor giovanni duprè main street onda named onda contrada extend domain outside wall ring city fact one historical duty contrada provide siena soldier patrol harbour village talamone province grosseto sea harbour republic siena middle age reason talamone considered part contrada resident join life institution contrada provided active funders onda’s ally nicchio since tartuca since valdimontone since ondas adversary torre since onda palio july august july pantera situated western edge city traditionally resident grocer chemist steamer panteras symbol rampant panther colour red blue white pantera’s ally chiocciola civetta giraffa istrice rival aquila selva run west piazza del campo centre city traditionally resident weaver contrade mainly military reputation excellent archer selva symbol rhinoceros base oak tree hung hunting tool color green orange bordered white winner palio august salasso caro amico also palio july huge upset nicchio favored win selva recent victory july ally chiocciola tartuca selva rival tartuca situated southern end city traditionally resident sculptor tartucas symbol tortoise alternating savoy knot daisy colour yellow deep blue winner palio july giuseppe zedde già del menhir tartuca last palio october opposed chiocciola ally leocorno nicchio onda selva torre situated southeast piazza del campo centre city encompasses sienas jewish quarter synagogue traditionally resident worked woolcombers torres symbol elephant contradas original name liofante lionfante tower back colour crimson striped white blue torre adversary onda wave oca goose contrada two rivalry making contentious contrada siena torre’s unique ally bruco recently palio july valdimontone situated southeast city near porta romana traditionally resident tailor valdimontones symbol crowned rampant ram blue shield emblazoned letter u umberto colour red yellow white trim allied onda opposed nicchio neighbour valdimontone last palio august originally contrade established taking function like clan tribal society consolidation century need changed resulted number reduced early st century seventeenth century contrade slowly dying abolition took place officially district gallo rooster leone lion orso bear quercia oak spadaforte strong sword vipera viper abolition six quarter always surrounded uncertainty deletion traditionally traced disorder related palio source say contrada spadaforte support five contrade despite victory lupa claimed victory according others spadaforte forbidden compete palio rely actual influence area six rebel district therefore deleted tradition supported contemporary record abolition came poor organization among contrade lack participation larger public life city discussed book balia six quarter officially abolished edict issued violante beatrice bavaria known notice violante bavaria defined boundary new division contrade still valid six incorporated contrade follows gallo incorporated civetta oca selva leone incorporated istrice orso incorporated civetta quercia incorporated chiocciola spadaforte incorporated leocorno torre vipera incorporated torre today six abolished contrade remembered historical procession preceding palio di siena six rider helmet lowered accompanied groom parade ninth group corteo storico historical parade contrade legnano palio di siena thepaliocom summary individual contrade ilpaliodisienacom contrade siena—in italian ilcittadinoonlineit museum contrada —in italian jacopodellatorrecom guide palio experience contrade palio ben comune scholarly article political science perspective