THE PALIO DEI TERZIERI-CITTÀ DELLA PIEVE

CALLING ALL: Lords, ladies, damsels in distress, knights in royal amour, wenches, flag-wavers, sword fighters, and flame throwers, come join our fabulous Palio. After a two-year absence due to the pandemic, this epic 10-day event will return in August with a full program of medieval mayhem that will fill the ancient streets of Pieve with drama, music, and laughter.

“Live The Game of Thrones“

Palio is the name given in Italy to the medieval challenge of physical contests, very often of a historical nature that pitches the various neighbourhoods of a town or surrounding hamlets against each other.

A Brief history of the Palio dei Terzieri.

The origins of our Terzieri are linked to the definitive urban plan of Città Della Pleve which dates back to the age of the medieval municipalities, when folklore has it the town outline took on the form of a threatening eagle advancing towards Rome. The parts of the eagle identify the three Terzieri which also represent three different social classes: Terziere Castello or Classe Dei Cavalieri is the eagle’s head, Terziere Borgo-Dentro (bourgeois) is the stomach, while Terziere Casalino or Classe Dei Pedoni (the peasant class) the wing tail of the animal.

The red bricks of which Pieve is largely built normally dominate the village, but in this period the towns facades give primacy to the flags that adorn the streets of the Terzieri, black and yellow for Borgo Dentro, green and black for Castello and red, white and blue for Casalino.

For nearly a century, the Terzieri have been challenging each other in this heartfelt and highly anticipated contest, as well as animating the life of this charming Umbrian town with other amazing spectacles throughout the year.

With the Palio after ten days of exciting theatrical events, costumed drama and medieval life re-enactments it all comes to a close in the final challenge where the Cavalieri dei Terzieri (The archers) must each show their skills in a shoot-out show down: The object of the contest is for the archer to hit a simulated Chianina bull, mounted on a single carousel that increases in speed at every turn. Each area of the bull has a score according to it’s difficulty to hit, the wining team is the one to scores highest.

Preceding the Archery is a procession of over 800 characters, including ladies, knights, fire eaters, commoners and nobles dressed in all their finery, who parade through the main streets of the centro storico.

What are they fighting for?

A modest but respectable tapestry (Pallium) and the year’s worth of bragging rights. Antonio Marroni of Pievese created the exquisite painted tapestry known as the historic Pallium. It shows the archers paying respect to the tough referee, Maestro Di Campo, prior to the competition. Against a blue backdrop, Città della Pieve’s most notable monuments are easily distinguished. Above, the Città della Pieve coat of arms and two Visconti snakes pay homage to the city’s alliance with the Republic of Milan. Lastly, the three Terzieri symbols are located at the bottom: the fortress (Terziere Borgo Dentro), the well (Terziere Casalino), and the medieval castle (Terziere Castello). An adornment of trophies and armor from the ‘500 frames this magnificent decorative sacred work.

This year, the festivities begin on the 12th of August and run through the 25th

Also the terzieri will once again fire up their legendary taverna’s filling the air throughout the town with aromas of delicious traditional dishes, The streets will be alive with shops & markets, renaissance inspired jaw dropping spectacles of fiery acrobatics, flag throwing, ancient weapons of war, even a “battle” (with flour) and not forgetting the exquisite parade of detailed and authentic costumes. The town and it’s folk are filled with passion, enthusiasm, friendly rivalry and pride as this represents one of the most anticipated events of the year. And I have to say what the towns folk of Città della Pieve achieve with the Palio is inspiring and mind-blowing.

This extraordinary event conjures the history and ancient traditions of Città della Pieve and is something you should experience at least once in a lifetime, And who knows, ‘This year there might be dragons?‘

FOR MORE INFO CLICK HERE-PALIO DEI TERZIERI.COM