Who is running the Palio dell’Assunta (dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin) on 16 August? By right:
• Tartuca 🐢 • Lupa 🐺 • Giraffa 🦒 • Civetta 🦉 • Leocorno 🦄 • Nicchio 🐚 • Valdimontone 🐏 • Onda* 🐬 • Selva* 🦏 • Chiocciola* 🐌 •
(*chosen by lot)
Listen for the chiarine (the clarions) - when they play, the remaining 3 Contrade will be drawn by lot in the Piazza del Campo! Who will fortune favour?
UPDATE (10 July): ONDA was chosen by the Captain of the Oca; SELVA was chosen by the Captain of the Pantera; CHIOCCIOLA was chosen by the Captain of the Tartuca (ooh, enemies!).
*How does it work? The names of the eligible Contrade will be placed in an urn, and the Mayor of Siena will choose 3 Contrade (all 17 are eligible) at random. The captains of these Contrade will then each choose one Contrada from another urn (where all but the 7 listed above are placed), and the flags will displayed one by one outside the trifore (3-light windows) of the Palazzo Pubblico to complete the lineup of 10 for the 16 August 2022 Palio. The Mayor will then choose (at random) the remaining 7 Contrade one by one, and their flags will be displayed on the upper windows of the Palazzo Pubblico, determining their order in the Historical Procession. The process continues: these 7 Contrade will therefore run by right in August 2023, and the remaining 3 Contrade will be chosen by lot the Sunday after the 2 July Palio 2023.
