Piazza del Campo (Siena)
Italy /
Toscana /
Siena /
Piazza del campo
World
/ Italy
/ Toscana
/ Siena
World / Italy / Toscana / Siena
square, horse racing track
Famous for the annual Palio - a horse race of three laps of the square.
Each district of Siena has it's own team and organises it's own horse and jockey in this race which takes over the entire town for weeks on end leading up to the big day. Rumour has it that the result isn't so much the ability of the rider and horse but more to do with backroom dealings and money changing hands.
The Wiki link explains a lot but there's far more in real life - parades, colourful flags. In fact the event was used as the backdrop to one of the Martini adverts broadcast on UK TV in the late 70's.
If you get a chance to see a race (unlikely) or to watch a TV program about the event then do so - most interesting.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palio_di_Siena
Edit: another good link to the Palio can be found here
www.initaly.com/info/palio/palio.htm
Each district of Siena has it's own team and organises it's own horse and jockey in this race which takes over the entire town for weeks on end leading up to the big day. Rumour has it that the result isn't so much the ability of the rider and horse but more to do with backroom dealings and money changing hands.
The Wiki link explains a lot but there's far more in real life - parades, colourful flags. In fact the event was used as the backdrop to one of the Martini adverts broadcast on UK TV in the late 70's.
If you get a chance to see a race (unlikely) or to watch a TV program about the event then do so - most interesting.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palio_di_Siena
Edit: another good link to the Palio can be found here
www.initaly.com/info/palio/palio.htm
Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piazza_del_Campo
Nearby cities:
Coordinates: 43°19'6"N 11°19'54"E
- Piazza Ferrucci 50 km
- Piazzale Michelangelo 50 km
- Piazza della Signoria 51 km
- Santa Croce Square 51 km
- Piazza Massimo d'Azeglio 51 km
- Cathedral Square - Piazza del Duomo 51 km
- Cesare Beccaria Square 51 km
- Piazzale Donatello 52 km
- Girolamo Savonarola Square 52 km
- Quaranta Martiri's Square 101 km
- Contrada de Onda (Wave) 0.4 km
- Contrada de Girafa (Giraffe) 0.4 km
- Contrada de Pantera (Panther) 0.5 km
- Contrada de Drago (Dragon) 0.5 km
- Contrada de Tartuca (Tortoise) 0.6 km
- Contrada de Valdimontone (Ram) 0.6 km
- Contrada de Niccio (Shell) 0.7 km
- Contrada de Istrice (porcupine) 0.8 km
- Siena-Ampugnano Airport 9 km
- Royal Golf La Bagnaia 12 km