In the Middle Ages Tuscany was again divided into a host of hostile states, whose inhabitants were often merciless towards their neighbours. Evidence of the passions of Tuscany in the Middle Ages can be found in the description by an unnamed chronicler of Siena of the famous Battle of Monteaperti, when Siena’s army routed an overwhelming force of Florentines who sought to enslave their southern neighbours in 1260:
“It was evening, but the battle had not yet subsided. Even Geppo the lumberjack killed twenty-five enemies with his ax. The Florentines shouted, ‘We surrender,’ but no one listened to them. Then the commander of the army of Siena, who took pity, summoned the elders and they decided to give the order: “Whoever wants to surrender – take him, and whoever does not – to death”.

The building, striking in its exterior and (above all) interior décor, had already at the beginning of the next century ceased to satisfy Siena residents, who learned of the start of construction of the grandiose cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in the hated Florence. Siena then conceived an ambitious plan to build a new cathedral, in which the then existing Duomo would only be part of the transept, while it would become the largest temple in Italy and perhaps in all Europe. Works were started in 1340, but did not last long: they were interrupted by the plague in 1348, by which time the building had already acquired an almost complete form – side naves with grand arches and pillars were built, which remained to connect the arches of the central aisle, but he was not destined to appear. To this day, these gigantic structures testify to the collapse of the hopes for primacy harboured by “arrogant”, as Dante condemned, Siena. After the Black Death in the mid-14th century, Siena remained independent for two more centuries, until it was conquered by the Spanish forces of Charles V in 1555, who turned the city over to his vassal, the Grand Duke of Tuscany Cosimo I de’ Medici, master of Florence. Since then, Siena has been a political and cultural backwater, with very few new buildings, which has allowed the city to retain its medieval image intact to this day.

At 7.30pm for the July race and 7pm for the August race a firecracker explodes to signal the start of the race. The race itself consists of three laps of 330 metres around the perimeter of Piazza del Campo, covered with several layers of Sienese clay and tuff. The winner in the Palio is the horse that crosses the finish line first, even if it comes to it without a rider. The loser is the contrada whose horse came second, not last. The races last no more than 80-90 seconds and usually several jockeys fall off their horses on steep turns. The enthusiasm after winning is so great that the Palio award ceremony takes place almost instantaneously, but becomes just a prelude to the months-long celebration of the winners. The Palio is free to watch from the crowds in the centre of the square, having previously spent the day in the heat waiting for the race. You can also sit comfortably in the grandstands set up along the perimeter of the Piazza del Campo and pay for your seats. Also, on Palio days seats are available on balconies, windows and even the rooftops of buildings overlooking the square for a hefty fee.