I’m back in Siena where the fragrance of all that’s holy mixes with the whiff of all things profane.
There’s the relic, a saint’s finger, waved before the horse’s nose by the priest; the jockey looking on seriously; the men, a setting that literally takes your breath away and then, that silence that comes before the Mossa, the moment when the horses finally start the race, which if you have never heard, you cannot even begin to imagine. No, you cannot possibly imagine the roar produced by thousands of people who all suddenly fall quiet.
The sun drops behind the palazzos that frame the piazza and it’s the beginning of those three circuits that take just an instant in time. The greatest spectacle here is not the horses killing themselves to win, urged to death by their jockeys, but the faces of the spectators, the contradaioli (inhabitants of each particular quarter or contrada) contorted in screams and shouts of encouragement for ‘their’ horse.
As you watch them, reality is suspended and even the torture of these poor animals, foaming at the
mouth as they limp exhausted over the packed earth, is justified by the sight of these human faces distorted by a passion that, unless you were born here, cannot be understood or explained.
The winning contrada crosses the finish line and the barriers come down, people flood onto the track, as the scossi (jockeyless horses) continue to run.
I get in there too, drowning in the sweat of a river of possessed people who acclaim their saint, the jockey. They carry him aloft in triumph into the cathedral, together with the Palio won in those three circuits that were over in the blink of an eye. Everyone wants to touch him, they pull him this way and that, hug him and, with tears in their eyes, raise their fists to him in a sign of victory.
A father hands him a baby, which he kisses as if it were his own. Another instant and this human river bursts into the cathedral. Shouts, pulling, clapping and song. And the saints, the real ones, look on in enjoyment.
Palio dell’Assunta, 08.16.2012.
Blessing the horse and jockey. The parish priest of the Contrada del Drago blesses horse and rider with the finger of Saint Caterina.
Palio dell’Assunta, 08.16.2013.
The Oca jockey is visibly moved after his blessing.
Palio della Madonna di Provenzano, 08.02.2015.
The captain of the Contrada della Torre sings the anthem together with the other contradaioli after the blessing.
Palio dell’Assunta, 08.16.2013
The Torre horse just before it enters the piazza.
Palio dell’Assunta, 08.16.2009
The horses enter the piazza before the race and parade in front of the tribune, packed with the players in historic costume who took part in the re-enactment. The contradaioli dell’Aquila shout encouragement to their jockey before the race.
Palio dell’Assunta, 08.16.2012
The Drago horse parades before its contradaioli before the race.
Palio della Madonna di Provenzano, 07.02.2015
Tourists and contradaioli who didn’t manage to get into the piazza follow the moment of the Mossa, the start of the race proper, on televisions in bars and restaurants.
Palio della Madonna di Provenzano 07.02.2015
Contradaioli outside the piazza follow the Mossa. During this stage of the Palio, the most important, a surreal silence descends on the square.
Palio dell’Assunta, 08.16.2012.
Contradaioli lost in the moment during the Mossa.
Palio della Madonna di Provenzano, 07.02.2013
The horses race around San Martino corner.
Palio dell’Assunta, 08.16.2009.
The reenactors shout encouragement to the jockeys during the race.
Palio della Madonna di Provenzano, 07.02.2015.
Those contradaioli who didn’t manage to get into the piazza peek from behind the railings at San Martino corner.
Palio dell’Assunta, 08.16.2017.
The horses cross the finish line and the gates to the square are flung open. The contradaioli run towards the earth-covered track to celebrate their winner.
Palio della Madonna di Provenzano, 07.02.2013.
Spectators and contradaioli pour onto the track, with the horses still racing.
Palio dell’Assunta, 16 Agosto 2017.
Palio dell’Assunta, 16 Agosto 2017.
Palio dell’Assunta, 08.16.2012.
Valdimontone contradaioli celebrate their victory under the Drappellone, the winner’s trophy.
Palio dell’Assunta, 08.16.2017.
The Onda jockey is borne aloft in triumph after his victory.
Palio dell’Assunta, 08.16.2012.
Emotional Valdimontone contradaioli after winning.
Palio dell’Assunta, 16 Agosto 2017.
Palio della Madonna di Provenzano 07.02.2013
The Oca jockey and captain of the contrada celebrate their victory.
Palio dell’Assunta, 08.16.2017.
An exultant Onda jockey before the contradaioli on the steps of the Duomo.
Palio dell’Assunta, 08.16.2017.
A father hands his son to the winning jockey for a kiss.
Palio dell’Assunta, 08.16.2009.
The jockey who won the Palio exults under the cathedral dome.