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Palio of Siena
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Jockeys in colorful uniforms race horses around a dirt track lined with cheering crowds at the Palio di Siena in Piazza del Campo, Siena, Italy. Palio, The
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Palio of Siena

Italian festival
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Jockeys in colorful uniforms race horses around a dirt track lined with cheering crowds at the Palio di Siena in Piazza del Campo, Siena, Italy.
Horse race in Siena, Italy Horse racing at the Palio of Siena, Italy.

The Palio is a festival of medieval origin, best known in Siena, Italy. It features bareback horse races held annually on July 2 and August 16 in Siena's main square, the Piazza del Campo. The race itself lasts only about a minute and involves three laps around the square.

Before the race, representatives from Siena's 17 ward organizations, called contrade, participate in a parade. Ten contrade compete in each race, with intense partisanship and occasional scuffles. Each contrada hires a jockey to race for the Palio, a silk standard. The horses are blessed before the race, and the festival includes drummers and flag throwers.12

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