Palio Di Legnano
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The Palio di Legnano (; known locally simply as ''Il Palio'') is a
tradition A tradition is a system of beliefs or behaviors (folk custom) passed down within a group of people or society with symbolic meaning or special significance with origins in the past. A component of cultural expressions and folklore, common e ...
al event generally held on the last Sunday of May in the city of
Legnano Legnano (; or ''Lignàn'') is a town and ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Milan, province of Milan, about from central Milan. With 60,259, it is the thirteenth-most populous township in Lombardy. Legnano is located in the ...
, Italy, to recall the
Battle of Legnano The battle of Legnano was a battle between the imperial army of Frederick Barbarossa and the troops of the Lombard League on 29 May 1176, near the town of Legnano, in present-day Lombardy, Italy. Although the presence of the enemy nearby was al ...
held on 29 May 1176 by the
Lombard League The Lombard League (; ) was an alliance of cities formed in 1167, and supported by the popes, to counter the attempts by the Hohenstaufen Holy Roman emperors to establish direct royal administrative control over the cities of the Kingdom of It ...
and the
Holy Roman Empire The Holy Roman Empire, also known as the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation after 1512, was a polity in Central and Western Europe, usually headed by the Holy Roman Emperor. It developed in the Early Middle Ages, and lasted for a millennium ...
of
Frederick Barbarossa Frederick Barbarossa (December 1122 – 10 June 1190), also known as Frederick I (; ), was the Holy Roman Emperor from 1155 until his death in 1190. He was elected King of Germany in Frankfurt on 4 March 1152 and crowned in Aachen on 9 March 115 ...
.Il Palio di Legnano
This ''Palio'' is composed by a
medieval pageant A medieval pageant is a form of procession traditionally associated with both secular and religious rituals, often with a narrative structure. Pageantry was an important aspect of medieval European seasonal festivals, in particular around the c ...
and a
horse race Horse racing is an equestrian performance activity, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its bas ...
. Until 2005 the whole event was named ''Sagra del Carroccio''.Il Palio tra folklore e storia
Legnano is subdivided into eight ''contrade'', each of which takes part both in the medieval pageant and in the horse race held at the
stadio Giovanni Mari Stadio Giovanni Mari is a multi-use stadium in Legnano, Italy. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home ground of A.C. Legnano. The stadium holds 5,000 people. It is also used for the horse race of Palio di Legnano. Hist ...
. This is considered one of the most important non-competitive events of this type in Italy. In 2003 the historic pageant was shown at the
Columbus Day Columbus Day is a national holiday in many countries of the Americas and elsewhere, and a federal holiday in the United States, which officially celebrates the anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the Americas. He went ashore at ...
in
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
. A lot of Palio-centric events take place in Legnano during May and July, such as the choral exhibition ''La Fabbrica del Canto'' '(The factory of singing)' born in 1992 from an idea of the musical association Jubilate. In 2015, institutions made 29 May a holiday for the whole of
Lombardy The Lombardy Region (; ) is an administrative regions of Italy, region of Italy that covers ; it is located in northern Italy and has a population of about 10 million people, constituting more than one-sixth of Italy's population. Lombardy is ...
.


The premises


Oldest celebrations

The earliest documented commemorations of the
battle of Legnano The battle of Legnano was a battle between the imperial army of Frederick Barbarossa and the troops of the Lombard League on 29 May 1176, near the town of Legnano, in present-day Lombardy, Italy. Although the presence of the enemy nearby was al ...
(29 May 1176) between
Frederick Barbarossa Frederick Barbarossa (December 1122 – 10 June 1190), also known as Frederick I (; ), was the Holy Roman Emperor from 1155 until his death in 1190. He was elected King of Germany in Frankfurt on 4 March 1152 and crowned in Aachen on 9 March 115 ...
and the
Lombard League The Lombard League (; ) was an alliance of cities formed in 1167, and supported by the popes, to counter the attempts by the Hohenstaufen Holy Roman emperors to establish direct royal administrative control over the cities of the Kingdom of It ...
took place on 28 May 1393 in
Milan Milan ( , , ; ) is a city in northern Italy, regional capital of Lombardy, the largest city in Italy by urban area and the List of cities in Italy, second-most-populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of nea ...
in the
basilica of San Simpliciano The Basilica of San Simpliciano is an ancient Roman Catholic church in the centre of Milan, region of Lombardy, Italy: the church, commissioned by the 4th century bishop St Ambrose, is the second-oldest known Christian church with a Latin cross l ...
.D'Ilario, 1976, p. 265.Autori vari, p. 115. In the document, which consists of a four-page decree issued by the
podestà (), also potestate or podesta in English, was the name given to the holder of the highest civil office in the government of the cities of central and northern Italy during the Late Middle Ages. Sometimes, it meant the chief magistrate of a c ...
, the
vicar A vicar (; Latin: '' vicarius'') is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior (compare "vicarious" in the sense of "at second hand"). Linguistically, ''vicar'' is cognate with the English p ...
and the ''Dodici di provvisione'' of the municipality of Milan,
magistrate The term magistrate is used in a variety of systems of governments and laws to refer to a civilian officer who administers the law. In ancient Rome, a '' magistratus'' was one of the highest ranking government officers, and possessed both judi ...
s of the city were required to prepare a solemn procession to complete the civil ceremony which should have been concluded at basilica of San Simpliciano; at the time every civil celebration was in fact accompanied by a religious function. On this occasion it was decreed that on 29 May, the date of the battle of Legnano, it would be a day of civil and religious festivities throughout the Milanese
countryside In general, a rural area or a countryside is a geographic area that is located outside towns and cities. Typical rural areas have a low population density and small settlements. Agricultural areas and areas with forestry are typically describ ...
. In 1499, with the occupation of the
Duchy of Milan The Duchy of Milan (; ) was a state in Northern Italy, created in 1395 by Gian Galeazzo Visconti, then the lord of Milan, and a member of the important Visconti of Milan, Visconti family, which had been ruling the city since 1277. At that time, ...
by the
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, the festivity was first suppressed, then restored by St.
Charles Borromeo Charles Borromeo (; ; 2 October 1538 – 3 November 1584) was an Catholic Church in Italy, Italian Catholic prelate who served as Archdiocese of Milan, Archbishop of Milan from 1564 to 1584. He was made a Cardinal (Catholicism), cardinal in 156 ...
in 1596, and finally suspended again from 1784.D'Ilario, 1976, p. 266. On 29 May he returned to being commemorated during the
Italian unification The unification of Italy ( ), also known as the Risorgimento (; ), was the 19th century political and social movement that in 1861 ended in the annexation of various states of the Italian peninsula and its outlying isles to the Kingdom of ...
as a symbol of the Italians' struggle against the foreign invader.D'Ilario, 1976, p. 268. The most important commemorations were those of 29 May 1848 in Milan during the
revolutions of 1848 The revolutions of 1848, known in some countries as the springtime of the peoples or the springtime of nations, were a series of revolutions throughout Europe over the course of more than one year, from 1848 to 1849. It remains the most widespre ...
, which took place solemnly in the
basilica of Sant'Ambrogio The Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio, officially known as ''Basilica romana minore collegiata abbaziale prepositurale di Sant'Ambrogio'', is an ancient Romanesque-style, Roman Catholic church located in the center of Milan, in the region of Lombardy, ...
in Milan, and those of 1876 in Milan and Legnano on the occasion of the 7th centenary of the battle. For the 7th centenary of the battle, more than 40,000 people from all over Italy and 197 banners representing all the
provinces A province is an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman , which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions outside Italy. The term ''provi ...
and
municipalities A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality' ...
of the Italian peninsula came to Legnano.Autori vari, p. 118. In Legnano, from the following years, on the wave of the celebrations of the 7th centenary, commemorations of the battle were occasionally organized by the population.D'Ilario, 1976, p. 270. The turning point came on 29 June 1900 with the inauguration of the Monument to the Warrior of Legnano by Enrico Butti, who replaced a previous statue made for the 7th centenary of the battle by Egidio Pozzi: from this date the official celebrations of the battle were transferred from Milan to Legnano, with the people of Legnano who began to remember the military battle on an annual basis.Ferrarini, p. 181. The monument was built at the behest of
Giuseppe Garibaldi Giuseppe Maria Garibaldi ( , ;In his native Ligurian language, he is known as (). In his particular Niçard dialect of Ligurian, he was known as () or (). 4 July 1807 – 2 June 1882) was an Italian general, revolutionary and republican. H ...
: on 16 June 1862, during a visit to Legnano at the invitation of the mayor of Legnano Andrea Bossi,Autori vari, p. 73. Garibaldi gave a speech urging the people of Legnano to erect a monument in memory of the famous battle of 29 May 1176: As for the religious celebration at the basilica of San Simpliciano in Milan, still in the 21st century, on the last Sunday of May, the battle of 29 May 1176 is remembered with a procession and a religious function which includes the vigil of a copy of the cross of
Aribert Aribert () is a Germanic given name, from ''hari'' ("host") and '' beraht'' ("bright"). Notable people with the given name include: *Aribert (archbishop of Milan) (between 970 and 980–1045), archbishop of Milan * Prince Aribert of Anhalt (1866– ...
: a delegation from the city of Legnano and its ''contrade'' also participates in this celebration.


The attempt of 1926

The first proposal to organize an event with the contribution of the municipal administration of Legnano was hypothesized in 1926 by Carlo De Giorgi, journalist and local exponent of the
National Fascist Party The National Fascist Party (, PNF) was a political party in Italy, created by Benito Mussolini as the political expression of Italian fascism and as a reorganisation of the previous Italian Fasces of Combat. The party ruled the Kingdom of It ...
.Ferrarini, p. 189. De Giorgi, founder of the local periodical ''Lo Specchio'', tried to put this idea into practice to commemorate the 750th anniversary of the battle, which fell in 1926.Autori vari, p. 119. This idea was not followed because of the too high cost of organizing the event, which was estimated at 50,000 lire, an amount judged excessive even by Fabio Vignati, then podestà of Legnano and then head of the municipal administration, as well as a person attentive to the history of Legnano and often generous, even economically, towards cultural initiatives. The estimated 50,000 pounds included 35,000 pounds to be used to pay the loan for 400 medieval clothes, and 15,000 pounds for horses destined for horse racing and for the oxen that should have pulled the copy of the
Carroccio A carroccio (; ) was a large four-wheeled wagon bearing the city signs around which the militia of the medieval communes gathered and fought. It was particularly common among the Lombard, Tuscan and, more generally, northern Italian municipali ...
. This would have been a very conspicuous economic commitment: by comparison, to completely restore the
bell tower A bell tower is a tower that contains one or more bells, or that is designed to hold bells even if it has none. Such a tower commonly serves as part of a Christian church, and will contain church bells, but there are also many secular bell to ...
of the
basilica of San Magno, Legnano The Basilica of Saint Magnus (Italian language, Italian: ) is the principal church of the Italian town of Legnano, in the province of Milan. It is dedicated to the Magnus (bishop of Milan), Saint Magnus, who was Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Mila ...
, again in 1926, 48,000 lire was spent.


The feast of the Carroccio of 1932

The first event officially organized by the town authorities of Legnano, which took place in 1932, was still on the initiative of Carlo De Giorgi.Autori vari, p. 121. This time the purpose of organizing a demonstration to commemorate the battle of Legnano followed because the political climate had changed in the meantime: fascism, for some time, had been busy stimulating the birth of events that celebrated national pride even with the giving of important funding. One of these events was the battle of Legnano, where the Italian troops of the Lombard League defeated the German armies of the
Holy Roman Empire The Holy Roman Empire, also known as the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation after 1512, was a polity in Central and Western Europe, usually headed by the Holy Roman Emperor. It developed in the Early Middle Ages, and lasted for a millennium ...
, ending the hegemonic dream of the German emperor Frederick Barbarossa on
Northern Italy Northern Italy (, , ) is a geographical and cultural region in the northern part of Italy. The Italian National Institute of Statistics defines the region as encompassing the four Northwest Italy, northwestern Regions of Italy, regions of Piedmo ...
. This event, which was called "Festa del Carroccio" and which this time had the full support of the municipal administration, included a gastronomic fair set up in the modern Via Diaz and Matteotti, a
medieval pageant A medieval pageant is a form of procession traditionally associated with both secular and religious rituals, often with a narrative structure. Pageantry was an important aspect of medieval European seasonal festivals, in particular around the c ...
through the streets of Legnano and a
horse race Horse racing is an equestrian performance activity, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its bas ...
that came organized at the local sports field Brusadelli (built as a sports center for the '' dopolavoro'' of the Cotonificio Dell'Acqua,Autori vari, p. 124. now it is named after Pino Cozzi, historical president of the ''Unione Sportiva Legnanese'') and which did not end due to the death of a jockey, a teenager of only 15 years untrained to the races, who fell from his horse and was killed instantly.Autori vari, pp. 121-122. With the Festa del Carroccio, it then passed from austere and solemn civil celebrations to a folkloristic and sporting show, although not lucky, at least in its first edition, due to the misfortune mentioned.Autori vari, p. 122. As a result of the tragedy that struck the young jockey, in the years immediately following, the horse race was not repeated, without prejudice to the organization of the other events, which continued to take place even later. The ten ''contrade'' that were to participate in the first edition of the Palio di Legnano (1935) were established in 1932 on the occasion of the Festa del Carroccio:D'Ilario, 2000, p. 4. Ponzella, Olmina, San Bernardino, Legnarello, San Martino, Sant'Erasmo, Sant'Ambrogio, San Domenico, La Flora and San Magno, with the last eight still taking part in the modern event.


History


The 1930s


The first edition

The Palio di Legnano, in its modern version, was organized for the first time on 26 May 1935 among the ten ''contrade'' mentioned above, later reduced to eight.D'Ilario, 1984, p. 335. The palio was born then during the fascist era, in a historical context in which the state authorities were committed to coercively promote all aspects related to
Italian nationalism Italian nationalism () is a movement which believes that the Italians are a nation with a single homogeneous identity, and therefrom seeks to promote the cultural unity of Italy as a country. From an Italian nationalist perspective, Italianness i ...
, recalling, where necessary, the events that marked the
history of Italy Italy has been inhabited by humans Prehistoric Italy, since the Paleolithic. During antiquity, there were many ancient peoples of Italy, peoples in the Italian peninsula, including Etruscan civilization, Etruscans, Latins, Samnites, Umbri, Cisal ...
in a victorious way. Referring to the first edition of the palio, the fascist hierarch Rino Parenti wrote:D'Ilario, 1984, p. 118. In the first pre-war editions, the victory at the palio was not determined only by the
horse race Horse racing is an equestrian performance activity, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its bas ...
, but also by three other competitions: a foot race, a
bicycle race "Bicycle Race" is a song by the British rock band Queen. It was released on their 1978 album ''Jazz'' and written by Queen's lead singer Freddie Mercury. It was released as a double A-side single together with the song " Fat Bottomed Girls", re ...
and an automobile competition. The ''contrade'' were then assigned a score for each placement in the four specialties, whose sum proclaimed the winner of the palio. The first edition of the horse race, which was held in 1935, was won by the Contrada San Domenico, followed by Legnarello and La Flora. The debut of the Legnano palio was a success, both in the public and in the organization, so much so that tourists from other Italian cities also attended. The name of the jockey who won the first edition of the horse race, Vittorio Ciapparelli, is however disputed by Franco Marini, formerly Grand Priory of the Contrada San Domenico and eyewitness of the 1935 horse race: Marini claims that the competition was actually won by a horse without jockey previously led by Pierino Ramolini, an event that was resumed and transmitted, according to the former Grand Prior of the Contrada San Domenico, by the
newsreel A newsreel is a form of short documentary film, containing news, news stories and items of topical interest, that was prevalent between the 1910s and the mid 1970s. Typically presented in a Movie theater, cinema, newsreels were a source of cu ...
''
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''. However, Marini's thesis is contradicted by official sources that report, as the name of the victorious jockey, that of Ciapparelli.Ferrarini, p. 180. This contradictory information is due to the fact that in the first editions the horse race was not considered of primary importance compared to the other events of the event, so much so that its first roll of honor was only compiled in 1938: just on this first edition of the list of winners of the horse race the name of Vittorio Ciapparelli is reported.


The other editions of the decade

The first edition of the horse race was held at the sports field Brusadelli, while later the race was moved to the city stadium in Via Pisacane, where it is still organized.Autori vari, p. 324. The transfer to the city stadium was not the only novelty of that year: from the ''canapo'' (the front rope) it was passed to the starting belts, and the
bareback riding Bareback riding is a form of equestrianism, horseback riding without a saddle. It requires skill, balance, and coordination, as the rider does not have any equipment to compensate for errors of balance or skill. Proponents of bareback riding arg ...
was replaced by the mount with the
saddle A saddle is a supportive structure for a rider of an animal, fastened to an animal's back by a girth. The most common type is equestrian. However, specialized saddles have been created for oxen, camels and other animals. It is not know ...
.Autori vari, p. 325. The ''canapo'' was then reintroduced in 1952 to then be replaced by ribbons in the following year, while from 1961 to 1963 the departure of the horses was decreed by the opening of cages.Autori vari, p. 332. In 1963 the starting ribbons were reintroduced, which were replaced in 1974, this time definitively, by the ''canapo''.Autori vari, p. 332 and 339. Already from the second edition (1936) the name of the event changed into "Sagra del Carroccio": this was due to a direct order by
Benito Mussolini Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini (29 July 188328 April 1945) was an Italian politician and journalist who, upon assuming office as Prime Minister of Italy, Prime Minister, became the dictator of Fascist Italy from the March on Rome in 1922 un ...
, which forced the organizers of the event to change the name of the event in such a way that the term "palio" was associated, exclusively, with the homonymous manifestation of Siena. On 5 June 1935, shortly after the end of the first edition of the event,
Galeazzo Ciano Gian Galeazzo Ciano, 2nd Count of Cortellazzo and Buccari ( , ; 18 March 1903 – 11 January 1944), was an Italian diplomat and politician who served as Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Minister in the government of his father-in-law ...
, undersecretary of the Council of Ministers of the Kingdom of Italy with responsibility for the Press and Propaganda, sent a telegram to the
prefect Prefect (from the Latin ''praefectus'', substantive adjectival form of ''praeficere'': "put in front", meaning in charge) is a magisterial title of varying definition, but essentially refers to the leader of an administrative area. A prefect' ...
of
Milan Milan ( , , ; ) is a city in northern Italy, regional capital of Lombardy, the largest city in Italy by urban area and the List of cities in Italy, second-most-populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of nea ...
, immediately forwarded to the prefectural commissioner of Legnano, which reported the following order: For the 1936 edition the organizing committee made an effort to make the palio more evocative: the ''contrade'' were the main protagonists in the organization and the soldiers of the 3rd Regiment "Savoia Cavalleria" of Milan were involved in the
medieval pageant A medieval pageant is a form of procession traditionally associated with both secular and religious rituals, often with a narrative structure. Pageantry was an important aspect of medieval European seasonal festivals, in particular around the c ...
, where they played the Company of Death. The second edition of the event was attended by other soldiers of the
Italian Armed Forces The Italian Armed Forces (, ) encompass the Italian Army, the Italian Navy and the Italian Air Force. A fourth Military branch, branch of the armed forces, known as the Carabinieri, take on the role as the nation's Gendarmerie, military police an ...
stationed in Legnano as part of the historic procession. In 1936 the historic ''contrade'' were reduced to nine, with the suppression of the Contrada Ponzella, a number that fell to eight in 1937, with the suppression also of the Contrada Olmina. The popular and qualitative growth of the event continued to progress also in the following years, above all as regards the parade, which gradually became more and more suggestive.Ferrarini, p. 182. In 1937 it was officially decided to cadence the Sagra del Carroccio every year: on this occasion the ''contrade'' endowed themselves with peculiar colors and a banner, while important personalities of the city life were put at the head of the historical ''contrade''; it is from this edition that the competition between the ''contrade'' began to spread. Three official committees were then set up for the organization of the event: the actual organizing committee, pertaining to the after-work of municipal employees, which was dedicated to the general aspects, and two specific committees dealing respectively with the artistic-cultural aspects and those purely administrative. The Sagra del Carroccio was interrupted after the 1939 edition: the organizers did not want to irritate the German ally with a demonstration that called for an Italian military victory over German armies. This sentiment was also shared by the upper echelons, and therefore all the celebrations of the date of May 29 that were held on the national territory were suspended.Autori vari, p. 125. The 1939 edition was attended by the princes of
House of Savoy The House of Savoy (, ) is a royal house (formally a dynasty) of Franco-Italian origin that was established in 1003 in the historical region of Savoy, which was originally part of the Kingdom of Burgundy and now lies mostly within southeastern F ...
, some military and civilian personalities of Milan and the representatives of the municipalities that had once coalesced in the Lombard League. This edition was a great success, both among the citizens of Legnanese and among tourists, so much so that it is remembered as one of the most successful palios. Due to the suspension of the event, the copy of the cross by
Aribert Aribert () is a Germanic given name, from ''hari'' ("host") and '' beraht'' ("bright"). Notable people with the given name include: *Aribert (archbishop of Milan) (between 970 and 980–1045), archbishop of Milan * Prince Aribert of Anhalt (1866– ...
, coveted palio of the horse race, was kept in the church of Sant'Erasmo, a religious building of reference for the homonymous ''contrada'' that won in 1939, for more than ten years.


The 1950s

The Sagra del Carroccio was not resumed until May 1952 on the initiative of the ''Famiglia Legnanese'' (non-profit cultural association based in Legnano), the
provost Provost may refer to: Officials Ecclesiastic * Provost (religion), a high-ranking church official * Prince-provost, a high-ranking church official Government * Provost (civil), an officer of local government, including the equivalent ...
of the city and the municipality of Legnano, this time totally detached from the political significance imposed by the fascist regime before the war;Ferrarini, p. 183. the funds needed to hold the palio were made available by the municipal administration and a loan from the Banca di Legnano. Anacleto Tenconi, then mayor of Legnano, recalled those moments: As already mentioned, with the
fall of the Fascist regime in Italy The Fall of the Fascist regime in Italy, also known in Italy as (, ; ), came as a result of parallel plots led respectively by Count Dino Grandi and King Victor Emmanuel III during the spring and summer of 1943, culminating with a successfu ...
and the end of the second world war, the political connotations that had so characterized the prewar editions were eliminated from the event. The Sagra del Carroccio, in addition to the historical sense that recalls the famous battle, also acquired a meaning linked to that important and heartfelt moment of celebration of the city - with the ''contrade'' ideally gathered around the Carroccio - which is still valid today.Autori vari, p. 175. With the resumption of the organization of the event, the duration of the celebrations passed from one to two weeks and then evolved, over time, to a whole month, the so-called "''Maggio Legnanese''".Autori vari, p. 177.Autori vari, p. 135. Since 1954 the Legnano palio has officially been counted among the Italian historical events; in the same year a representation of the protagonists of the Sagra del Carroccio, together with eleven other delegations of historic Italian events, was invited to the Colombian celebrations which were organized in Genoa from 3 to 15 October.Autori vari, p. 133. In the following year the "College of captains and ''contrade''" was established, whose function is still to coordinate the activities, actions and intentions of the samei. Thanks to the work of the college, the ''contrade'' played an increasingly important role in the palio. Since 1955 the organizing committee of the Palio di Legnano has been formed by this college, the municipality of Legnano and the ''Famiglia Legnanese''. The 1955 horse race was suspended and not attributed to a disputed start due to an error by one of the judges of the competition,Autori vari, p. 334. while that of the following year was poisoned by controversy due to another error by the judges who - without the
photo finish A photo finish occurs in a sporting race when multiple competitors cross the finishing line at nearly the same time. As the naked eye may not be able to determine which of the competitors crossed the line first, a photo or video taken at the fini ...
- they qualified for the final San Martino instead of Sant'Erasmo.Autori vari, p. 335. In 1959 a monumental fountain was carved in front of the church of Santissimo Redentore in the Contrada Legnarello, on which the coats of arms of the ''contrade'' and the most important symbols of the palio were carved. The same year, on 19 May 1959,
Pope John XXIII Pope John XXIII (born Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli; 25 November 18813 June 1963) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 28 October 1958 until his death on 3 June 1963. He is the most recent pope to take ...
granted a private audience in the
throne room A throne room or throne hall is the room, often rather a hall, in the official residence of the crown, either a palace or a fortified castle, where the throne of a senior figure (usually a monarch) is set up with elaborate pomp—usually raised, ...
to the mayor of Legnano as the supreme magistrate of the palio, to the captains of the ''contrade'' and to a representative of the ''Famiglia Legnanese''. The editions of the 1950s of the Sagra del Carroccio were also successful in the media: in 1952 the Legnese demonstration had the honor of appearing on the covers of ''
La Domenica del Corriere ''La Domenica del Corriere'' (''The Sunday Courier'') was an Italian weekly newspaper which ran from 1899 to 1989. It came out every Sunday free with ''Corriere della Sera'', but was also sold separately. It was famous for its cover drawings, and ...
'' and ''
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'' magazine while, in the same year, the satirical magazine ''
Candido Candido is both a given name and a surname. Notable people with the name include: Given name * Candido Amantini (1914–1992), Italian Roman Catholic priest * Candido Camero, known simply as "Candido" (1921–2020), Cuban percussionist * Candido J ...
'' placed part of a comic story by
Giovannino Guareschi Giovannino Oliviero Giuseppe Guareschi (; 1 May 1908 – 22 July 1968) was an Italian journalist, cartoonist, and humorist whose best known creation is the priest Don Camillo and Peppone, Don Camillo. Life and career Guareschi was born into a ...
at the Sagra del Carroccio which had among its protagonists
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,
Palmiro Togliatti Palmiro Michele Nicola Togliatti (; 26 March 1893 – 21 August 1964) was an Italian politician and statesman, leader of Italy's Italian Communist Party, Communist party for nearly forty years, from 1927 until his death. Born into a middle-clas ...
,
Pietro Nenni Pietro Sandro Nenni (; 9 February 1891 – 1 January 1980) was an Italian socialist politician and statesman, the national secretary of the Italian Socialist Party (PSI) and senator for life since 1970. He was a recipient of the Lenin Peace Priz ...
and
Nilde Iotti Leonilde "Nilde" Iotti (; 10 April 1920 – 4 December 1999) was an Italian politician, member of the Italian Communist Party (PCI). Towards the end of World War Two, she fought as a partisan for the Italian resistance. She was the first and o ...
.Autori vari, p. 131. In this decade a greater involvement of the civil society in the Legnano area and of the municipalities that had once coalesced in the Lombard League was also decided. The financing of these editions, as well as from the municipality of Legnano, which used the proceeds obtained from tickets sold to attend the horse race, came from the
province of Milan The province of Milan () was a province in the Lombardy region of Italy. Its capital was the city of Milan. The area of the former province is highly urbanized, with more than 2,000 inhabitants/km2, the third-highest population density among Ital ...
and from private subjects such as
Cariplo Cassa di Risparmio delle Provincie Lombarde, known in shorthand as Cariplo SpA, was an Italian bank founded in 1823. On 2 January 1998, it merged with Banco Ambrosiano Veneto to form Banca Intesa. Cariplo SpA became a short-lived sub-holding com ...
, Banco Lariano and Banca di Legnano: the latter, in the 1990s, it became one of the sponsors of the palio.


The 1960s

In 1960 a curious thing happened: a "strike" by some jockeys, who did not reach the economic agreement with their contrade to participate in the palio, despite the pressing negotiations that lasted almost until the horse race, caused the defection, to the last moment, of four of them. Each jockey was therefore obliged to run for two ''contrade''. In 1961 the captains of the ''contrade'' of Legnano had an official meeting with the
archbishop of Milan The Archdiocese of Milan (; ) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or archdiocese of the Catholic Church in Italy which covers the areas of Milan, Monza, Lecco and Varese. It has long maintained its own Latin liturgical rite usage, the Amb ...
Giovanni Battista Montini Pope Paul VI (born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini; 26 September 18976 August 1978) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding John XXII ...
, future Pope Paul VI.Autori vari, p. 193. The horse race of 1961 was the only one in which a female jockey participated, Cucca Felli, a young horsewoman from Casorate Sempione, who ran for the Contrada San Magno fighting for the victory until the middle of the race.Autori vari, p. 336. Also in 1961, a copy of the Carroccio used in the Legnese demonstration took part in the historical procession organized in
Turin Turin ( , ; ; , then ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital from 1861 to 1865. The city is main ...
on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the unification of Italy. In 1962 a fundamental event took place for the palio: in that year the medieval pageant was completely reorganized, with the quality of the costumes which grew considerably. Moreover, the costumes, and their realization, became specific of the Sagra del Carroccio; until 1962 many of them were borrowed from subjects external to the Legnese demonstration: most of the clothes came from the
La Scala La Scala (, , ; officially , ) is a historic opera house in Milan, Milan, Italy. The theatre was inaugurated on 3 August 1778 and was originally known as (, which previously was Santa Maria della Scala, Milan, a church). The premiere performa ...
theater in Milan, where they were mostly used in the opera ''
La battaglia di Legnano ''La battaglia di Legnano'' (''The Battle of Legnano'') is an opera in four acts, with music by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian-language libretto by Salvadore Cammarano. It was based on the play ''La Bataille de Toulouse'' by Joseph Méry, later th ...
'' by
Giuseppe Verdi Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi ( ; ; 9 or 10 October 1813 – 27 January 1901) was an Italian composer best known for List of compositions by Giuseppe Verdi, his operas. He was born near Busseto, a small town in the province of Parma ...
.D'Ilario, 1984, p. 346.Ferrarini, p. 184. In 1969 the armory room was added to the headquarters of the Contrada San Bernardino.Autori vari, p. 212. On this occasion the furniture was also changed, which from a Spartan became valuable, with furniture that recalled the medieval style. This seat of the Contrada San Bernardino was the first "manor", in the modern sense of the term, of a ''contrada'' of Legnano. Such were the importance and the peculiarity, that his photos were printed for years on the brochures and leaflets.


The 1970s

In 1970 a striking fact occurred which caused quite a stir. Giuseppe Gentili, known as ''Ciancone'', jockey of the Contrada La Flora, was convinced by two ''contrada'' members of San Bernardino to go to
Parma Parma (; ) is a city in the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna known for its architecture, Giuseppe Verdi, music, art, prosciutto (ham), Parmesan, cheese and surrounding countryside. With a population of 198,986 inhabitants as of 2025, ...
to a restaurant to have a lunch before the race. After the meal, the three returned to Legnano late for the
horse race Horse racing is an equestrian performance activity, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its bas ...
. The jockey of La Flora could not therefore participate in the race, and invented a mysterious abduction carried out by the ''contradaioli'' of San Bernardino. The police then discovered the deception and arrested the jockey for a false complaint. From 1971, in the horse race, the
saddle A saddle is a supportive structure for a rider of an animal, fastened to an animal's back by a girth. The most common type is equestrian. However, specialized saddles have been created for oxen, camels and other animals. It is not know ...
was abolished with the return to the obligation, on the part of the jockeys, of the
bareback riding Bareback riding is a form of equestrianism, horseback riding without a saddle. It requires skill, balance, and coordination, as the rider does not have any equipment to compensate for errors of balance or skill. Proponents of bareback riding arg ...
, a type of mount that had characterized the first editions of the palio. This return to the past led to the participation of the famous jockeys who already ran the
Palio di Siena The Palio di Siena (; known locally simply as ; from Latin ) is a horse race held twice each year, on 2 July and 16 August, in Siena, Italy. Ten horses and riders, bareback (the horses, not the riders) and dressed in the appropriate colours, re ...
and the
Palio di Asti The Palio di Asti (or ''Palio Astese'' in its most archaic nomenclature) is a traditional Italy, Italian festival of Middle Ages, medieval origin that culminates with a bareback horse race. The race has been run each year since the 13th century. ...
at the horse race at the Sagra del Carroccio. Among them we must certainly mention Andrea Degortes (called ''Aceto''), Leonardo Viti (called ''Canapino''), Salvatore Ladu (called ''Cianchino''), Mario Cottone (known as ''Truciolo'') and Antonello Casula (called ''Moretto''). In 1974 the ''canapo'' (the front rope)Ferrarini, p. 189. was reintroduced for the start of the horse race. In 1972 an unknown hand set fire to the manor of the Contrada San Domenico, which destroyed the headquarters of the ''contrada'' and all that was inside it, such as the weapons and clothes of the medieval pageant.Autori vari, p. 213. Of all the preserved material only a velvet masculine garment escaped from the fire, which is still exhibited at the museum of the ''contrada''. The 1976 edition of the palio was special: the 8th centenary of the battle of Legnano was celebrated. On this occasion, specific cultural, sporting, artistic and historical events were organized as a corollary to the main event. The captains of the ''contrade'' of Legnano were the protagonists, on 2 and 3 April, of a ride reminiscent in period costume whose path wound between Legnano and
Pontida Pontida (Bergamasque: ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Bergamo in the Italian region of Lombardy, located about northeast of Milan and about northwest of Bergamo. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 3,112 and an are ...
, site of the legendary Oath of Pontida that saw, according to tradition, the birth of the
Lombard League The Lombard League (; ) was an alliance of cities formed in 1167, and supported by the popes, to counter the attempts by the Hohenstaufen Holy Roman emperors to establish direct royal administrative control over the cities of the Kingdom of It ...
: the itinerary, 70 km long, was divided into two stages, with an intermediate overnight stay on the night of 2 April inside the
Royal Villa of Monza The Royal Villa (Italian: ''Villa Reale'') is a historical building in Monza, Northern Italy. It lies on the banks of the Lambro river, surrounded by the large Monza Park, one of the largest enclosed parks in Europe. The Royal Villa, also cal ...
.Autori vari, pp. 138-139. In the same year a second cavalcade of the captain was prepared, this time destined for the Morimondo Abbey. The Carroccio used in the Palio di Legnano and the copy of the cross by
Aribert Aribert () is a Germanic given name, from ''hari'' ("host") and '' beraht'' ("bright"). Notable people with the given name include: *Aribert (archbishop of Milan) (between 970 and 980–1045), archbishop of Milan * Prince Aribert of Anhalt (1866– ...
were brought, on May 14, with a solemn ceremony, to the Basilica of San Simpliciano in Milan. In the following years the captains repeatedly recalled the stages of the battle of Legnano going back along the descent of Frederick Barbarossa in the Olona valley, a descent that was the premise for the famous armed clash of 29 May 1176. In 1976 it was also organized, at the
Arena Civica Arena Civica (), officially Arena Gianni Brera, is a multi-purpose stadium in Milan, Italy, which was opened on 18 August 1807. One of the city's main examples of neoclassical architecture, today it mainly hosts association football, football an ...
in
Milan Milan ( , , ; ) is a city in northern Italy, regional capital of Lombardy, the largest city in Italy by urban area and the List of cities in Italy, second-most-populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of nea ...
, an extraordinary palio, which was won by San Magno; this event was heralded by a historic parade through the streets of the Lombard capital, from the
Sforza Castle The Sforza Castle ( ; ) is a medieval fortification located in Milan, northern Italy. It was built in the 15th century by Francesco Sforza, Duke of Milan, on the remnants of a 14th-century fortification. Later renovated and enlarged, in the 1 ...
to the Arena Civica, which consisted of 600 participants. Saturday, May 29, the 8th centenary was solemnly celebrated in Legnano with a procession that left from Palazzo Malinverni, the
city hall In local government, a city hall, town hall, civic centre (in the UK or Australia), guildhall, or municipal hall (in the Philippines) is the chief administrative building of a city, town, or other municipality. It usually houses the city o ...
, and arrived at the monument to the Warrior of Legnano.Autori vari, p. 141. The celebration ended then at the ''Galleria di Legnano''.Autori vari, p. 139. The 1976 Sagra del Carroccio was particularly solemn and was accompanied by an important public setting: along the streets of Legnano in fact 50,000 people congregated.Autori vari, p. 140. The
President of the Italian Republic The president of Italy, officially titled President of the Italian Republic (), is the head of state of Italy. In that role, the president represents national unity and guarantees that Italian politics comply with the Constitution. The presid ...
Giovanni Leone Giovanni Leone (; 3 November 1908 – 9 November 2001) was an Italian politician, jurist and university professor who was President of Italy from 1971 to 1978. A founding member of Christian Democracy (Italy), Christian Democracy (DC), Leone br ...
was unable to be in Legnano to attend the event due to some commitments. However, the head of state sent a message: The horse race of 1977, won by the Contrada Sant'Erasmo, was not assigned due to some heated arguments that occurred at the end of the race between the jockeys of the ''contrade'' of San Bernardino, La Flora and San Magno. The Contrada Sant'Erasmo, which could have struck four consecutive victories, in protest, did not participate in the next edition of the palio.


The 1980s

In 1980 a second extraordinary palio was organized, this time to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the foundation of the "college of the captains and the ''contrade''", which was then won by San Martino.L'albo d'oro del Palio di Legnano
/ref> Also on this occasion, to commemorate this anniversary, many special events were organized that were preparatory to the actual palio.Autori vari, p. 141. Moreover, the ''contrade'' became comparable to real associations, being endowed with a statute that still describes their prerogatives in detail; this change was necessary because with the passing of the decades the activities of the historical ''contrade'' had widened more and more: the life of the ''contrade'' therefore had to be regulated with greater precision. The strengthening of the pride of belonging to one's own historical ''contrada'' and the intensification of rivalry between the ''contrade'' is also of these years. The latter, starting from this decade, began to purchase the manors that housed them at their own expense and began to set up the museums of the ''contrada''. In addition, the process of improving the quality of the costumes of the medieval pageant continued, which became increasingly sought after and of a higher quality. The 1981 final was run twice due to the arrival in perfect equality of San Domenico and San Bernardino, so much so that it was not possible to establish the winner even at the photo finish. A further final was then reduced to these two ''contrade'' and disputed over a course of three laps of the field, where San Domenico won, Autori vari, p. 346. In 1983 a representative delegation of the palio was invited to
Konstanz Konstanz ( , , , ), traditionally known as Constance in English, is a college town, university city with approximately 83,000 inhabitants located at the western end of Lake Constance in the Baden-Württemberg state of south Germany. The city ho ...
,
Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
, for the commemoration of the 8th centenary of the homonymous peace treaty, epilogue of the struggle between
Frederick Barbarossa Frederick Barbarossa (December 1122 – 10 June 1190), also known as Frederick I (; ), was the Holy Roman Emperor from 1155 until his death in 1190. He was elected King of Germany in Frankfurt on 4 March 1152 and crowned in Aachen on 9 March 115 ...
and the
Lombard League The Lombard League (; ) was an alliance of cities formed in 1167, and supported by the popes, to counter the attempts by the Hohenstaufen Holy Roman emperors to establish direct royal administrative control over the cities of the Kingdom of It ...
, while the 1984 edition of the horse race was the only one to be postponed due to adverse weather conditions; the horse race was then run the following Sunday. The medieval pageant, on the other hand, did not take place. Also in 1984 a representative of the Legnanese event was invited by the Sicilian Region to the "Festival of the almond tree in bloom" of
Agrigento Agrigento (; or ) is a city on the southern coast of Sicily, Italy and capital of the province of Agrigento. Founded around 582 BC by Greek colonists from Gela, Agrigento, then known as Akragas, was one of the leading cities during the golden ...
. In 1985 the Carroccio used in the palio was completely rebuilt according to criteria more similar to those of the original medieval cart which was used in the
battle of Legnano The battle of Legnano was a battle between the imperial army of Frederick Barbarossa and the troops of the Lombard League on 29 May 1176, near the town of Legnano, in present-day Lombardy, Italy. Although the presence of the enemy nearby was al ...
thanks to the consultation of sources of the time, who managed to provide detailed information on its characteristics;Autori vari, p. 312. both the materials and the construction techniques used to make the new copy of the Carroccio traced those dating back to the Middle Ages. Craftsmen and specialized companies were involved in the construction of the new symbolic cart. The new Carroccio were then applied eight panels bearing the coats of arms of the ''contrade'' of Legnano.Autori vari, p. 313. This new wagon, which has dimensions 2.60 x 5.40 x 6 m, is fully functional and plays a unique, symbolic and historical role.Autori vari, p. 315. Since 1986 the role of the municipal administration in the organization of the Palio di Legnano in importance: in fact, that year the institution of the ''Cavaliere del Carroccio'' ("Carroccio knight"), which is appointed by the supreme magistrate, or by the mayor of Legnano on the proposal of the college of captains and of the ''Famiglia Legnanese'', and which still characterizes the Palio di Legnano. In other words, the command of organizing the palio passed to the municipality of Legnano, which began to exercise it through a steering committee.Autori vari, p. 142. In addition, the budget and the final balance of the event, as well as the detailed program of the event, starting from that date, began to be previously approved by the
Municipal council A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, borough cou ...
: the economic accounts, in particular, were included in the budget of the municipality of Legnano. This change was necessary to link to the Sagra del Carroccio a
juridical person A juridical person is a legal person that is not a natural person but an organization recognized by law as a fictitious person such as a corporation, government agency, non-governmental organisation, or international organization (such as the ...
to whom to associate the administrative, financial and penal responsibilities of the event. Being the protagonist of the municipality, the civil society of the city of Legnano was increasingly involved in organizing the event: from associations to
Italian Armed Forces The Italian Armed Forces (, ) encompass the Italian Army, the Italian Navy and the Italian Air Force. A fourth Military branch, branch of the armed forces, known as the Carabinieri, take on the role as the nation's Gendarmerie, military police an ...
stationed in Legnano, from parishes to companies, from traders to craftsmen. Until 1987 the performance of the flag wavers was also part of the Legnanese event: they were eliminated from the program because they were not historically contextualised. The flag-wavers, in fact, appeared a few centuries after the battle of Legnano. However, having entered the collective mind of the people of Legnano in 2016, their reintroduction into the official program of the Legnano race was decided. A unique event in the history of the Palio di Legnano that concerns a jockey and that happened in 1987 caused a sensation: the disqualification for life of the jockey Mario Cottone, known as ''Truciolo'', due to his participation, together with some ''contradaioli'' of San Martino, in an expedition punitive in the manor of Legnarello occurred on the evening of the eve of the palio.Autori vari, p. 347.


From the 1990s to the 21st century

It was the 1990s who discovered the greatest development of the Sagra del Carroccio. In this decade the so-called "''Maggio Legnanese''" was overcome, that is the series of events linked to the palio that were organized only during this month of the year: starting from this decade, the events began to be prepared also in other periods of the year, enriching the program of the event with many other types of events, so as to give the Sagra del Carroccio a much wider breath. In 1990 the "Permanent commission of costumes" was founded, which deals with the conformity of the material used in the
medieval pageant A medieval pageant is a form of procession traditionally associated with both secular and religious rituals, often with a narrative structure. Pageantry was an important aspect of medieval European seasonal festivals, in particular around the c ...
with respect to the invoice of the weapons, the clothes and the hairstyles used in the 12th century; this committee was officially included in the palio regulation in 1995. In its first years of activity the permanent commission of the costumes did a job of improvement of the clothes wearing by the figurants of the ''contrade'', to then pass to a role of supervision and consultancy.Autori vari, p. 258. In 1991 a delegation from the Sagra del Carroccio formed by about a hundred representatives was invited to the ''Fête de la Renaissance'' in
Lyon Lyon (Franco-Provençal: ''Liyon'') is a city in France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of the French Alps, southeast of Paris, north of Marseille, southwest of Geneva, Switzerland, north ...
,
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
, during which they paraded in costume through the city streets of the transalpine city, reproducing the historical procession of the Palio di Legnano.Autori vari, p. 147. The following year a delegation from the city of Lyon and its ''contrade'', called ''les Pennones de Lion'', attended the Sagra del Carroccio. Since 1992, at the behest of the college of captains and the ''contrade'', a veterinary commission has been active which closely follows the development of the horse race and deals with the medical fitness of
horse The horse (''Equus ferus caballus'') is a domesticated, one-toed, hoofed mammal. It belongs to the taxonomic family Equidae and is one of two extant subspecies of ''Equus ferus''. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 mi ...
s; in the event of an accident of the latter, a local veterinary clinic intervenes and immediately takes care of injured animals. Furthermore, this commission has been provided with ample decision-making powers, so much so that it can decree the immediate exclusion from the tender of a horse considered unsuitable.D'Ilario, 2000, p. 12. From 1992 it also finds space, among the events linked to the Palio, ''La Fabbrica del Canto'', an international
choral music A choir ( ), also known as a chorale or chorus (from Latin ''chorus'', meaning 'a dance in a circle') is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform or in other words ...
event born in 1992 from an idea of the musical association Jubilate. From 1993, within the Sagra del Carroccio, exhibitions and conferences on the
Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...
began to be prepared. Given the recognized quality of the material used during the historic parade, in 1995 an exhibition was organized within the
Museo Nazionale Scienza e Tecnologia Leonardo da Vinci Museo Nazionale Scienza e Tecnologia Leonardo da Vinci in Milan, dedicated to painter and scientist Leonardo da Vinci, is the largest science and technology museum in Italy. It was opened on 15 February 1953 and inaugurated by prime minister of ...
, concerning the display of the clothes, ornaments and weapons of the medieval pageant of the Palio di Legnano.Autori vari, p. 150. In 1996 the theme parade was introduced: each ''contrada'' participates in the historical procession showing a particular aspect of the Middle Ages (war, work, music, etc.).Autori vari, p. 152. In 1997, a theater workshop was added to the events linked to the palio. In May 1998 a cavalcade in medieval costume was organized of the captains of the ''contrade'', whose route ran from Legnano to the monastery of
Cairate Cairate is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Varese in the Italian region Lombardy, located about northwest of Milan and about south of Varese. Cairate borders the following municipalities: Carnago, Cassano Magnago, Castelseprio, ...
, a place where Barbarossa stayed the night before the battle. In 2002, the historic Palio parade in Legnano was also revived at
Columbus Day Columbus Day is a national holiday in many countries of the Americas and elsewhere, and a federal holiday in the United States, which officially celebrates the anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the Americas. He went ashore at ...
in
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
. In the same year, the
House of Savoy The House of Savoy (, ) is a royal house (formally a dynasty) of Franco-Italian origin that was established in 1003 in the historical region of Savoy, which was originally part of the Kingdom of Burgundy and now lies mostly within southeastern F ...
, or the ruling dynasty in Italy from 1861 to 1946, officially granted the title of "sovereign" to the Contrada La Flora. For the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the college of captains and ''contrade'', in 2005, another extraordinary palio was played, the so-called "palio d'Onore". In 2006 the event returned to its official name "Palio di Legnano". The 2006 edition was instead suspended and not attributed due to an invasion of the Contrada San Domenico; the "college of magistrates of the palio", in addition to not assigning the 2006 edition, made a fine of 10,000 euros in the Contrada San Domenico, disqualifying it for the 2007 edition. The 2009 edition of the horse race was instead the first to be disputed on the sand. In 2015 the palio was decided by the
photo finish A photo finish occurs in a sporting race when multiple competitors cross the finishing line at nearly the same time. As the naked eye may not be able to determine which of the competitors crossed the line first, a photo or video taken at the fini ...
between heated controversy: Sant'Ambrogio and Legnarello arrived almost in a draw, and therefore technology was used, which decreed the victory of the latter. Because of the controversies that have arisen, since 2016 the regulation of the palio for photo finishing has changed: the latter can be used only if requested by the finishing judge, by the Cavaliere del Carroccio and by at least one of the three magistrates.


The contrade


The eight historic contrade

The eight contrade of Legnano are:Ferrarini, p. 178. * Contrada La Flora * Contrada Legnarello * Contrada San Bernardino * Contrada San Domenico * Contrada San Magno * Contrada San Martino * Contrada Sant'Ambrogio * Contrada Sant'Erasmo Each of the eight contrade has a regency formed by a "captain", a "great prior" and a "chatelaine". The captains of the eight historical contrade are gathered in the college of captains and contrade, which was founded in 1955 and which has the function of coordinating the activities, actions and intentions of the same. This college, which is presided over by the "grand master of the college of captains and contrade", is located within the Visconteo Castle of Legnano. The antagonism and the competition between the contrade are very much felt, with a strong goliardic component and particularly in the period of the year in which the palio is organized, without prejudice to the strong mutual respect that leads to reciprocal aid in the organization of the event as in the case, for example, of the frequent exchanges of the material used in the parade.D'Ilario, 1984, p. 337. To avoid the pranks, which are frequent near the date of the palio, the horses that will participate in the horse race, on the eve of the latter, are hidden in a secret place and cared for by the Contrada members.Autori vari, p. 200. There are two contrade that have an additional title in the name; San Magno has in its name the term "Noble", which derives from the territory of the ''contrada'', which includes the historic center of Legnano, and from the fact that since ancient times, within the confines of the ''contrada'', there are several noble families lineage, while La Flora boasts the title of "sovereign", an attribution granted by the
House of Savoy The House of Savoy (, ) is a royal house (formally a dynasty) of Franco-Italian origin that was established in 1003 in the historical region of Savoy, which was originally part of the Kingdom of Burgundy and now lies mostly within southeastern F ...
in 2002.


The activities of the contrade

During the year the contrade organize parties, cultural and historical events, as well as folkloristic and charitable events.Ferrarini, p. 177. In the first decades of existence of the event, their headquarters were frequented only during the previous month at the palio, but with the passing of the years the activities of the contrade experienced a constant phase of growth that led the historical ''contrade'' to diversify the initiatives, with the organization of the latter taking place throughout the year. The contrade were often protagonists, even financially, in the restoration of historic buildings in the ''contrada'', such as the churches to which the ''contrade'' refer.Autori vari, p. 206. Of great attraction is the propitiatory dinner on the eve, which is organized the evening before the palio and which is greeted by the contrada decked out for a party, attended by hundreds of ''contrada'' members and the jockey who will race the horse race.


The manors

The contrade are located in the so-called ''manieri'' (" manors"); sometimes the manors, which are the property of the contrade, are housed in ancient Lombard courts, that is to say in buildings particularly linked to the territory, especially to that of the historical ''contrada'' of which they are the seat. The manors house all the activities of the contrada as well as the costumes, weapons and ornaments of the
medieval pageant A medieval pageant is a form of procession traditionally associated with both secular and religious rituals, often with a narrative structure. Pageantry was an important aspect of medieval European seasonal festivals, in particular around the c ...
, the memorabilia and the banners - both of the present and of the past - as well as the documentary archive of the ''contrada''.D'Ilario, 2000, p. 6.D'Ilario, 1984, p. 343.Autori vari, p. 210.


The contrade suppressed

* Contrada Olmina * Contrada Ponzella In the first years in which the Palio di Legnano was disputed there were also the contrade of "Ponzella" and of "Olmina", which were incorporated, respectively, by San Bernardino and La Flora (in 1936) and by Legnarello (in 1937); they were merged in the 1930s because at the time the neighborhoods to which they referred were not very inhabited, and therefore had great difficulty in financially supporting the participation in the palio. The banners of the two suppressed contrade still participate in the medieval pageant of the Palio di Legnano: in particular, they follow the banner of the ''contrade'' to which they have been annexed, supplies of their armed escort.


The organization of the palio

The reasons that induce Legnanesi to organize the palio annually with great profusion of efforts and means - including financial ones - are expressed in Article 1 of the regulation of the event, which reads: The organization of the palio, structured in this way since 1986, or since his leadership passed to the municipal administration,Autori vari, p. 144. is led by the palio committee, which is composed of the "supreme magistrate", the "Cavaliere del Carroccio", from the "grand master of the college of captains and the ''contrade''", from the president of the ''Famiglia Legnanese'', from the "great priors" and other members who are representing the
Municipal council A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, borough cou ...
, the ''Famiglia Legnanese'' and the college of captains and ''contrade''. The supreme magistrate, who is the mayor of Legnano, decrees, through a public tender, the official start of the palio. Then there is the "board of magistrates of the palio", which is formed by the grand master of the college of captains and the ''contrade'', by the president of the ''Famiglia Legnanese'' and by the supreme magistrate, who chairs the sessions. This body has the function of resolving disputes between the ''contrade''. Finally, to make sure that the ceremonial of the event is scrupulously observed, the college of magistrates of the palio and the Cavaliere del Carroccio, having consulted the palio committee, appoint two masters of ceremonies who come from the ''contrade'' and join the official master of ceremonies of the municipality of Legnano.Autori vari, p. 240. The Cavaliere del Carroccio, who holds the role of executive director of the organization of the palio, is appointed by the supreme magistrate after hearing the president of the ''Famiglia Legnanese'' and the grand master of the college of the captains and the ''contrade''. A very important task of the Cavaliere del Carroccio is to name the ''mossiere'' (or the starter horse race). Until 1985 the functions of the Cavaliere del Carroccio were attributed to the president of the Sagra del Carroccio. In the pre-World War II editions the organizational aspects were very different, given that they were strongly conditioned by political power. There was a council of the palio, which was formed by the political and military authorities of the fascist regime, by an assembly made up of the captains of the ''contrade'', or by those who still hold the historic ''contrade'', and by a so-called "Magistrate", which was a collegial body consisting of two members appointed by the beam secretary and the podestà of Legnano.Autori vari, p. 123. From 1952, when the organization of the palio was resumed after the pause due to the war events of the World War II, the preparation of the event was entirely left to the ''Famiglia Legnanese''.Autori vari, p. 145. This situation lasted until 1986 when, as already mentioned, the organization passed to the municipal administration.


The event


The preparatory events

The Palio di Legnano has a ceremonial including some important events that are preparatory to the
medieval pageant A medieval pageant is a form of procession traditionally associated with both secular and religious rituals, often with a narrative structure. Pageantry was an important aspect of medieval European seasonal festivals, in particular around the c ...
and the
horse race Horse racing is an equestrian performance activity, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its bas ...
.Ferrarini, p. 185. The first of these is the "translation" of the cross of
Aribert Aribert () is a Germanic given name, from ''hari'' ("host") and '' beraht'' ("bright"). Notable people with the given name include: *Aribert (archbishop of Milan) (between 970 and 980–1045), archbishop of Milan * Prince Aribert of Anhalt (1866– ...
from the religious building of reference of the ''contrada'' that has conquered the previous edition of the palio, to the main church of Legnano, the basilica of San Magno. Shortly after, the supreme magistrate, or the mayor of Legnano, officially listed the palio with a public tender:Autori vari, p. 243. Then there is the civil investiture of the captains of the ''contrade'', which once took place on the day of the patron saint of the city, St. Magnus (5 November), but which since 2008 has been moved near the palio to provide this event better visibility. The text of the oath of the captains before the magistrates of the palio states. Subsequently, the ''contrade'' officially join the palio, an event that is preceded by the solemn presentation of the regencies of the same. These events are heralded by the following speech by the Supreme Magistrate:Autori vari, p. 244. Then, on the third Friday of May, the vigil of the cross of
Aribert Aribert () is a Germanic given name, from ''hari'' ("host") and '' beraht'' ("bright"). Notable people with the given name include: *Aribert (archbishop of Milan) (between 970 and 980–1045), archbishop of Milan * Prince Aribert of Anhalt (1866– ...
takes place in the basilica of San Magno, in which the representatives of the ''contrade'' participate; this religious ceremony is characterized by a very precise liturgy, with specific sacred readings and songs.Autori vari, p. 245. The preparatory events continue at Palazzo Malinverni, the city hall, on the morning of the day of the race, on the last Sunday of May, with the surrender of honors by the grand priors, the captains and the chatelaines to the supreme magistrate and the representatives of the municipalities once coalesced in the Lombard League which annually appear in Legnano on the day of the palio.D'Ilario, 1984, p. 338. The ceremonial then continues with the oath of the representatives of the ''contrade'' before the copy of the cross of Aribert, with which the protagonists of the palio promise, similarly to what was done by the soldiers of the Lombard League before the battle of Legnano, unity and fidelity in name of freedom. The ceremonial continues with a solemn
Mass Mass is an Intrinsic and extrinsic properties, intrinsic property of a physical body, body. It was traditionally believed to be related to the physical quantity, quantity of matter in a body, until the discovery of the atom and particle physi ...
officiated on the
Carroccio A carroccio (; ) was a large four-wheeled wagon bearing the city signs around which the militia of the medieval communes gathered and fought. It was particularly common among the Lombard, Tuscan and, more generally, northern Italian municipali ...
, on the occasion placed in San Magno Square, in front of the main entrance of the basilica and next to Palazzo Malinverni. After this sacred rite,
doves Columbidae is a bird family consisting of doves and pigeons. It is the only family in the order Columbiformes. These are stout-bodied birds with small heads, relatively short necks and slender bills that in some species feature fleshy ceres. ...
are freed in memory of the famous legend told by Galvano Fiamma: the latter claimed that, during the battle of Legnano, three doves had settled on the antenna of the Carroccio causing the defeat of Frederick Barbarossa after leaving the burials of saints Sisinnio, Martirio and Alessandro (the so-called "holy martyrs", which are celebrated on May 29Percivaldi, p. 177.) at the
basilica of San Simpliciano The Basilica of San Simpliciano is an ancient Roman Catholic church in the centre of Milan, region of Lombardy, Italy: the church, commissioned by the 4th century bishop St Ambrose, is the second-oldest known Christian church with a Latin cross l ...
in Milan.D'Ilario, 1976, p. 80. The ceremony concludes with the religious investiture of the captains and the blessing of the horses and jockeys that will take part in the horse race.


The medieval pageant

In the afternoon of the day of the palio, shortly before the horse race, a
medieval pageant A medieval pageant is a form of procession traditionally associated with both secular and religious rituals, often with a narrative structure. Pageantry was an important aspect of medieval European seasonal festivals, in particular around the c ...
is held on the streets of the city which consists of more than 200 horses and 1,000 figures in
medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with the fall of the West ...
costumes whose clothes, shields, weapons, etc., scrupulously reflect those of the
12th century The 12th century is the period from 1101 to 1200 in accordance with the Julian calendar. In the history of European culture, this period is considered part of the High Middle Ages and overlaps with what is often called the Golden Age' of the ...
.D'Ilario, 2000, p. 10. The ''contrade'', whose registration to the horse race is optional, are instead obliged to participate in the horse show with a maximum number of one hundred and ten participants and sixteen horses.Autori vari, p. 239. All the horses used in the parade are led by hand by expert grooms. As already mentioned, the clothes used in the first decades of the events came from the
La Scala La Scala (, , ; officially , ) is a historic opera house in Milan, Milan, Italy. The theatre was inaugurated on 3 August 1778 and was originally known as (, which previously was Santa Maria della Scala, Milan, a church). The premiere performa ...
in
Milan Milan ( , , ; ) is a city in northern Italy, regional capital of Lombardy, the largest city in Italy by urban area and the List of cities in Italy, second-most-populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of nea ...
, where they were mostly employed in the opera ''
La battaglia di Legnano ''La battaglia di Legnano'' (''The Battle of Legnano'') is an opera in four acts, with music by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian-language libretto by Salvadore Cammarano. It was based on the play ''La Bataille de Toulouse'' by Joseph Méry, later th ...
'' by
Giuseppe Verdi Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi ( ; ; 9 or 10 October 1813 – 27 January 1901) was an Italian composer best known for List of compositions by Giuseppe Verdi, his operas. He was born near Busseto, a small town in the province of Parma ...
. However, these dresses were designed for this lyric opera, and therefore their style was greatly influenced by Verdi's
romanticism Romanticism (also known as the Romantic movement or Romantic era) was an artistic and intellectual movement that originated in Europe towards the end of the 18th century. The purpose of the movement was to advocate for the importance of subjec ...
, so as to have a
Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) is a Periodization, period of history and a European cultural movement covering the 15th and 16th centuries. It marked the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and was characterized by an effort to revive and sur ...
rather than Romanesque style, that is the shape corresponding to the historical era in which the battle of Legnano was fought. The clothes used from 1962 onwards are instead commissioned by the regency of each ''contrada'' to specialized artisan tailors. With the choice of creating an autonomous clothing collection, it was decided to focus on the 50 years before and half a century after the famous armed clash of 29 May 1176. Extensive studies were then carried out in order to be able to make clothes that conformed as closely as possible to the styles used in this historical period: in particular, the collection of sculptures created by
Benedetto Antelami Benedetto Antelami (c. 1150 – c. 1230)"Antelami, Benedetto" in '' The New Encyclopædia Britannica''. Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 15th edn., 1992, Vol. 1, p. 441. was an Italian architect and sculptor of the Romanesque school, who ...
, a contemporary artist at the battle of Legnano who made a large number of statues, works that are very rich in details, especially clothes. The finds preserved inside the
Vatican Museums The Vatican Museums (; ) are the public museums of the Vatican City. They display works from the immense collection amassed by the Catholic Church and the papacy throughout the centuries, including several of the best-known Roman sculptures and ...
, the Great Museum of the Duomo of Milan and in other exhibition spaces scattered throughout the Italian peninsula,
Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
and
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
were also precious. As already mentioned, the conformity that the material of the parade must have with the historical knowledge concerning the military and civil life of the 12th century is controlled by the permanent commission of customs. This commission, which consists of three experts of national caliber appointed by the organizing committee and two representatives per ''contrada'',Autori vari, p. 197. was established in 1990 by the college of captains and the ''contrade''. The parade begins with the processions of the individual ''contrade'', which from their manor head into the city center for the actual parade.D'Ilario, 1984, p. 339. The latter opens with a procession formed by the bands of municipalities that were once coalesced by the
Lombard League The Lombard League (; ) was an alliance of cities formed in 1167, and supported by the popes, to counter the attempts by the Hohenstaufen Holy Roman emperors to establish direct royal administrative control over the cities of the Kingdom of It ...
. Their members wear the uniform of the belonging musical body and carry the banner of their own municipality (the one in Legnano closes this part of the procession).Autori vari, p. 237. The type of music played is military in nature. The central part of the parade consists of figurants from the ''contrade'' who are dressed in medieval clothes. Each historical ''contrada'' passes by following a specific theme; the ''contrada'' that closes this part of the procession is the one that won the palio of the previous year, while the others parade, starting from the head of the procession, in increasing order of victories).Ferrarini, p. 188. At the same number of victories, the farthest from the show's head is the one with the most recent latest victory. The subjects represented by the eight ''contrade'', which were introduced in 1996 to better represent the medieval atmosphere, are, are: * Contrada La Flora: war; * Contrada Legnarello: strength and work; * Contrada San Bernardino: the triumph for the capture of weapons; * Contrada San Domenico: the commoners and the games; * Contrada San Magno: the nobility and the clergy; * Contrada San Martino: music and dance; * Contrada Sant'Ambrogio: the courtiers; * Contrada Sant'Erasmo: astrology and hunting. The
medieval pageant A medieval pageant is a form of procession traditionally associated with both secular and religious rituals, often with a narrative structure. Pageantry was an important aspect of medieval European seasonal festivals, in particular around the c ...
through the city streets ends with the passage of the
Carroccio A carroccio (; ) was a large four-wheeled wagon bearing the city signs around which the militia of the medieval communes gathered and fought. It was particularly common among the Lombard, Tuscan and, more generally, northern Italian municipali ...
pulled by six white
oxen An ox (: oxen), also known as a bullock (in BrE, British, AusE, Australian, and IndE, Indian English), is a large bovine, trained and used as a draft animal. Oxen are commonly castration, castrated adult male cattle, because castration i ...
and by the transit of its armed entourage which is formed, among other things, by the figurants who interpret the
chivalry Chivalry, or the chivalric language, is an informal and varying code of conduct that developed in Europe between 1170 and 1220. It is associated with the medieval Christianity, Christian institution of knighthood, with knights being members of ...
of the Company of Death. The procession winds through the streets of Legnano to finish at the
stadio Giovanni Mari Stadio Giovanni Mari is a multi-use stadium in Legnano, Italy. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home ground of A.C. Legnano. The stadium holds 5,000 people. It is also used for the horse race of Palio di Legnano. Hist ...
,D'Ilario, 1984, p. 341. occasionally decorated with a medieval-style setting.Autori vari, p. 249. On the Carroccio there is a copy of the cross of
Aribert Aribert () is a Germanic given name, from ''hari'' ("host") and '' beraht'' ("bright"). Notable people with the given name include: *Aribert (archbishop of Milan) (between 970 and 980–1045), archbishop of Milan * Prince Aribert of Anhalt (1866– ...
(coveted palio of the horse race), an altar and the "''martinella''", or from the bell which in medieval times had the function of recalling the soldiers around the wagon. The ''martinella'' is made to sound inside the stadium at the end of the parade, after the pigeons have freed themselves in flight, recalling for the second time the aforementioned legend told by Galvano Fiamma. On the Carroccio there are nine figures, three with religious clothes and six with civilian clothes impersonating musicians, being provided with clarets. In 2000 the original ''martinella'' of the Battle of Legnano was identified: it was kept on the bell tower of the hermitage of Sant'Alberto di Butrio di
Ponte Nizza Ponte Nizza is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Pavia in the Italy, Italian region Lombardy, located about 70 km south of Milan and about 35 km south of Pavia. Ponte Nizza borders the following municipalities: Bagnaria, Cec ...
, in the province of Pavi, in
Lombardy The Lombardy Region (; ) is an administrative regions of Italy, region of Italy that covers ; it is located in northern Italy and has a population of about 10 million people, constituting more than one-sixth of Italy's population. Lombardy is ...
. In the same year in which it was made, it was paraded in the medieval pageant of the Sagra del Carroccio.


Events preceding the horse race

Other highly symbolic moments are planned inside the stadium. Initially the representatives of the armed forces present in Legnano (
Carabinieri The Carabinieri (, also , ; formally ''Arma dei Carabinieri'', "Arm of Carabineers"; previously ''Corpo dei Carabinieri Reali'', "Royal Carabineers Corps") are the national gendarmerie of Italy who primarily carry out domestic and foreign poli ...
, ''
Polizia di Stato The (State Police or P.S.) is one of the national Law enforcement in Italy, police forces of Italy. Alongside the Carabinieri, it is the main police force for providing police duties, primarily to cities and large towns, and with its child agen ...
'', ''
Guardia di Finanza The Guardia di Finanza (; G. di F. or GdF; or ) is an Italian militarised law enforcement agency under the Ministry of Economy and Finance (Italy), Ministry of Economy and Finance, instead of the Ministry of Defence (Italy), Ministry of Defence ...
'' and
local police Municipal police, city police, or local police are Law enforcement agency, law enforcement agencies that are under the control of local government. This includes the Municipality, municipal government, where it is the smallest Administ ...
) parade, followed by the civic gonfalons of the municipalities that had once coalesced in the
Lombard League The Lombard League (; ) was an alliance of cities formed in 1167, and supported by the popes, to counter the attempts by the Hohenstaufen Holy Roman emperors to establish direct royal administrative control over the cities of the Kingdom of It ...
, the flags of the
Metropolitan City of Milan The Metropolitan City of Milan (; , ) is a Metropolitan cities of Italy, metropolitan city (not to be confused with the Milan metropolitan area, metropolitan area) in the Lombardy region of Italy. It is the second most populous metropolitan ci ...
and the
Lombardy The Lombardy Region (; ) is an administrative regions of Italy, region of Italy that covers ; it is located in northern Italy and has a population of about 10 million people, constituting more than one-sixth of Italy's population. Lombardy is ...
Region, then the banners of the Milanese associations pass in procession and finally the
gonfalon The gonfalon, gonfanon, gonfalone (from the early Italian ''confalone'') is a type of heraldic flag or banner, often pointed, swallow-tailed, or with several streamers, and suspended from a crossbar in an identical manner to the ancient Roman v ...
of Legnano parades; the latter then honors the authorities and other municipal banners. The Legnano banner was paraded and the honors given to the other municipal banners and to the authorities, after the flag-raising of the Italian flag and the performance of ''
Il Canto degli Italiani "" (; ) is a patriotic song written by Goffredo Mameli and set to music by Michele Novaro in 1847, currently used as the national anthem of Italy. It is best known among Italians as the "" (; ), after the author of the lyrics, or "" (; ), from ...
'' by
Goffredo Mameli Goffredo Mameli (; 5 September 1827 – 6 July 1849) was an Italian patriot, poet, writer and a notable figure in the Risorgimento. He is also the author of the lyrics of "Il Canto degli Italiani", the national anthem of Italy. Biography The ...
and
Michele Novaro Michele Novaro (; 23 December 1818 – 20 October 1885) was an Italian composer. Novaro was born on 23 December 1818 in Genoa, where he studied composition and singing at the Scuola Gratuita di Canto (now the Genoa Conservatory). Novaro is ...
, the Italian
national anthem A national anthem is a patriotic musical composition symbolizing and evoking eulogies of the history and traditions of a country or nation. The majority of national anthems are marches or hymns in style. American, Central Asian, and European ...
since 1946, entered the stadium the representatives of the ''contrade'', strictly in alphabetical order, with the ''contrada'' that won the last palio that closes this part of the procession; then enters the Carroccio pulled by six white oxen and the group of figurants, once formed by young
conscripts Conscription, also known as the draft in the United States and Israel, is the practice in which the compulsory enlistment in a national service, mainly a military service, is enforced by law. Conscription dates back to antiquity and it conti ...
stationed in the disused Legnanese barracks of the
Italian Army The Italian Army ( []) is the Army, land force branch of the Italian Armed Forces. The army's history dates back to the Italian unification in the 1850s and 1860s. The army fought in colonial engagements in China and Italo-Turkish War, Libya. It ...
, who impersonate the armed squad that defended this military chariot during the battle of Legnano; this phase of the palio is closed with the entry of the figurants who interpret the Company of Death. At this point of the event the representatives of the ''contrade'' move to the center of the stadium and solemnly pay honor to the Carroccio.D'Ilario, 1976, p. 340 During the ceremony the chancellor pronounces these words:Autori vari, p. 253. Immediately after the honors surrendered to the Carroccio the flight of the doves takes place, which is accompanied by the ringing of the ''martinella'' and by the sound of the clarions of the musicians of the Carroccio. Shortly after the supreme magistrate decrees, after drawing lots, the eliminatory batteries of the horse race. All the protagonists of this phase therefore leave the field in order to allow the figurants of the Company of Death, just before the horse race, to re-propose the
charge Charge or charged may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Charge, Zero Emissions/Maximum Speed'', a 2011 documentary Music * ''Charge'' (David Ford album) * ''Charge'' (Machel Montano album) * '' Charge!!'', an album by The Aqu ...
that was made, according to legend, by the military team led by
Alberto da Giussano Alberto da Giussano (in Lombard ''Albert de Giussan'', in Latin ''Albertus de Gluxano'') is a legendary character of the 12th century who would have participated, as a protagonist, in the battle of Legnano on 29 May 1176. In reality, according ...
in the final stages of the battle of Legnano.


The horse race

The culminating moment of the palio is the
horse racing Horse racing is an equestrian performance activity, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its bas ...
with
bareback riding Bareback riding is a form of equestrianism, horseback riding without a saddle. It requires skill, balance, and coordination, as the rider does not have any equipment to compensate for errors of balance or skill. Proponents of bareback riding arg ...
which, as already mentioned, takes place in the city stadium. The race, in which the eight historic ''contrade'' participate, is disputed in the late afternoon of the last Sunday of May. The horse race, which takes place on sandy terrain, begins with two eliminatory heats, each of which takes in four ''contrade''. In these eliminatory batteries the jockeys of the ''contrade'' must perform 4 turns of the ring, each of which measures about 240 meters. The final that assigns the palio, which is entered by the first two classifieds of each drum, includes 5 laps of the ring. The horse race can also be won by a
horse The horse (''Equus ferus caballus'') is a domesticated, one-toed, hoofed mammal. It belongs to the taxonomic family Equidae and is one of two extant subspecies of ''Equus ferus''. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 mi ...
that remains without the jockey's mount during a race, as long as it does not violate the regulation. As for the jockeys, the regulation does not specify any limitation on their choice by the ''contrade''. The composition of the batteries and the order of arrangement of the horses at the rope (from the closest to the fence to the most external), as already mentioned, are defined by a draw that takes place before the race. The one who starts the horses in the eliminatory heats and in the final is the ''mossiere'' (or the starter of horse race), who is invested with his role by the Cavaliere del Carroccio and who decrees the departure with the lowering of the rope. On the evening of Friday before the horse race the so-called "provaccia" takes place, that is a race that is disputed with the same regulation of the palio in which the emerging or local jockeys participate. The provaccia, which is dedicated to Luigi Favari, former president of the organizing committee of the palio, is preceded by another horse race which, this time, includes
ponies A pony is a type of small horse, usually measured under a specified height at maturity. Ponies often have thicker coats, manes and tails, compared to larger horses, and proportionally shorter legs, wider barrels, heavier , thicker necks and s ...
ridden by very young jockeys. The provaccia was introduced in 1985 on the basis of the enthusiasm arising from the organization of the extraordinary edition of the 1980 Palio; in the first editions, at the Luigi Favari memorial, other sporting events were associated such as
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
matches and
tug of war Tug of war (also known as tug o' war, tug war, rope war, rope pulling, or tugging war) is a sport in which two teams compete by pulling on opposite ends of a rope, with the goal of bringing the rope a certain distance in one direction against ...
competitions.Autori vari, pp. 327-328. It was the provaccia itself that recorded the only victory of a horse that remained without the jockey's mount: in 2017 Legnarello won thanks to a horse without the jockey that was thrown off during the race. If a contrada wins, in the same year, both the palio and the provaccia, it is said that it has ''fatto cappotto'' ("made a coat").


The symbols of victory

The ''contrada'' winner of the horse race has the right to preserve, inside the church to which it refers, the cross of
Aribert Aribert () is a Germanic given name, from ''hari'' ("host") and '' beraht'' ("bright"). Notable people with the given name include: *Aribert (archbishop of Milan) (between 970 and 980–1045), archbishop of Milan * Prince Aribert of Anhalt (1866– ...
, that is a copper- embossed sculpture of 1936 work of the Legnanese craftsman Luciano Sai that reproduces, on a reduced scale, the original medieval cross; the latter, which was donated to the monastery of San Dionigi by Aribert,
archbishop of Milan The Archdiocese of Milan (; ) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or archdiocese of the Catholic Church in Italy which covers the areas of Milan, Monza, Lecco and Varese. It has long maintained its own Latin liturgical rite usage, the Amb ...
from 1018 to 1045, is kept in the museum of the Duomo in Milan.D'Ilario, 1984, p. 337.Autori vari, p. 154. It was realized thanks to the contribution of the local industrialist Pino Mocchetti, captain of the Contrada Legnarello from 1935 to 1936. The copy of the medieval cross is kept by the winning ''contrada'' until the next edition of the palio. Also the official ceremony that gives the cross to the winning ''contrada'' is called "translation of the cross": this event takes place solemnly on the evening of the Saturday following the palio.Autori vari, p. 255. Other symbols of victory are the pectoral cross, or a golden crucifix copy of the precious object placed on the Carroccio during the battle of Legnano, which is assigned to the captain of the winning ''contrada'' and which is returned shortly before the next palio;Autori vari, p. 166. the victory band, or a white and red banner (the colors of the Legnano municipal
coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the last two being outer garments), originating in Europe. The coat of arms on an escutcheon f ...
) which shows the date of victory in
Roman numerals Roman numerals are a numeral system that originated in ancient Rome and remained the usual way of writing numbers throughout Europe well into the Late Middle Ages. Numbers are written with combinations of letters from the Latin alphabet, eac ...
and which is delivered to the definitive winning ''contrada''; the weight of silver, which is a precious sculpture of 1176 grams whose weight recalls the year of the battle (1176) and which is delivered to the outright winning ''contrada'', being created every year by a different artist. The silver weight, whose shape changes every year, was introduced in 1992 and recalls a similar prize awarded to the winning ''contrada'' in the first editions of the palio. By tradition, at the end of the horse race, the monument to the Warrior of Legnano is caparisoned in the colors of the winning ''contrada''. The ''contrada'' that has not won the palio for the longest time is instead called "''Nonna''" ("grandmother").


Number of victories

* 13 - Contrada Sant'Erasmo (1937, 1939, 1958, 1964, 1969, 1970, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1994, 1998, 2002 and 2014) * 13 - Contrada Legnarello (1936, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1965, 1966, 1983, 1989, 1991, 2015, 2017, 2023 and 2024) * 12 - Contrada San Magno (1963, 1971, 1973, 1979, 1987, 1990, 1993, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2011 and 2022) * 9 - Contrada San Bernardino (1956, 1959, 1961, 1978, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1995 and 2007) * 9 - Contrada La Flora (1938, 1960, 1997, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2018 and 2021) * 7 - Contrada San Domenico (1935, 1972, 1981, 1984, 1996, 2013 and 2019) * 6 - Contrada Sant'Ambrogio (1962, 1968, 1986, 1988, 2004 and 2012) * 5 - Contrada San Martino (1957, 1967, 1992, 2003 and 2016)


Last winner

* Contrada Legnarello (2024)


Gallery


See also

*
Battle of Legnano The battle of Legnano was a battle between the imperial army of Frederick Barbarossa and the troops of the Lombard League on 29 May 1176, near the town of Legnano, in present-day Lombardy, Italy. Although the presence of the enemy nearby was al ...
* Contrade of Legnano *
Legnano Legnano (; or ''Lignàn'') is a town and ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Milan, province of Milan, about from central Milan. With 60,259, it is the thirteenth-most populous township in Lombardy. Legnano is located in the ...
*
Palio Palio is the name given in Italy to an annual athletic contest, very often of a historical character, pitting the neighbourhoods of a town or the hamlets of a ''comune'' against each other. Typically, they are fought in costume and commemorate so ...


Notes


Citations


Bibliography

* Autori vari, ''Il Palio di Legnano : Sagra del Carroccio e Palio delle Contrade nella storia e nella vita della città'', Banca di Legnano, 2015. * Giorgio D'Ilario, Egidio Gianazza, Augusto Marinoni, ''Legnano e la battaglia'', Edizioni Landoni, 1976. * Giorgio D'Ilario, Egidio Gianazza, Augusto Marinoni, Marco Turri, ''Profilo storico della città di Legnano'', Edizioni Landoni, 1984 * Giorgio D'Ilario, ''Sagra del Carroccio - Palio delle Contrade'', Tipotecnica, 2000. * Gabriella Ferrarini, Marco Stadiotti, ''Legnano una città, la sua storia, la sua anima'', Telesio editore, 2001. * Elena Percivaldi, ''I Lombardi che fecero l'impresa. La Lega Lombarda e il Barbarossa tra storia e leggenda'', Ancora Editrice, 2009, .


External links

*
Official website of Palio di Legnano
*
Official website of Collegio dei Capitani e delle Contrade
{{coord, 43.5892, N, 8.9099, E, source:wikidata, display=title Italian traditions Historical competitions of Italy Festivals in Italy May Horse races in Italy Tourist attractions in Lombardy Sport in Lombardy Legnano