The Origins
Undoubtedly one of the best known traditional folkloristic events in the world, the Palio of Siena is a religious festival as well as a secular celebration.
 
The July and August Palio
The Palio of Siena takes place twice a year, on July 2nd and August 16th. On very special occasions a third Palio is held, termed straordinario, the first of which took place on June 2nd 1861 to celebrate the newly proclaimed unified Kingdom of Italy.

 
The Contrade
Currently there are 17 Contrade in Siena, considerably reduced from the original 54. Each Contrada is like a small state within the city and manages its own recreational activities, administration, its archives, a museum ...
 
The Days of the Palio
Any visitor to Piazza del Campo during the days preceding a Palio will see the square completely transformed. The entire square is paved with blocks of tufa rock and the track around which the Palio is run is covered with brown earth. Wooden stalls are arranged around the square to seat the authorities and those who have walked in the ceremonial processions. The centre of the square is fenced in to contain the vast crowd that assembles to watch the race.

 

Via di Città (formerly Via Galgaria), Siena’s Most Elegant Street
Just as Siena is built on three hills of tufaceous rock, it’s urban layout is divided by three main streets. The city’s main crossroads was once known as the triventum, along the Via Francigena, with the Croce del Travaglio marking the intersection between Banchi di Sotto, Banchi di Sopra and Via di Città.

 
Croce del Travaglio Place
The fulcrum of everyday town life in Siena is Piazza Croce del Travaglio, whose name could derive either from the Medieval practice of erecting barricades made out of beams whenever there was fighting among the city’s factions or from a cross that once stood here pointing the way for pilgrims along the Via Francigena and towards the Spedale di Santa Maria della Scala.

 
From Piazza del Campo to the Duomo Along Via di Città
From Piazza del Campo, considered neutral ground by the inhabitants of Siena on account of its location directly between the three hills on which the city stands, Vicolo San Pietro to the right of Fonte Gaia leads to the Croce del Travaglio, the arrival point of the three main streets of Siena: Via Banchi di Sopra, Via Banchi di Sotto and Via di Città.

 
The Curves of Piazza del Campo
As well as being the emblem of Siena, the shell-shaped Piazza del Campo is one of the world’s finest Medieval squares. The square features two sharp curves joined by a straight line of buildings.