Last modified: 2003-08-09 by dov gutterman
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by Andre' Serranho
See also:
from <www.radicedidue.com>,
located by Dov Gutterman, 30 July 2002
si-si.gif)
by Andre' Serranho
by Andre' Serranho
Note: Although the Republic of Siena is long gone, after being
conquered by Florence during the Medici period, its flag is still
flown, along with the City and People ones, from the main Gates,
in special days, such as the week of the world famous Palio, as
shown under. Thus it is not presented as an historical flag.
Andre' Serranho
Contrada della Pantera
by Marcus Schmöger, 23 August 2001
Contrada della Pantera - detail
by Marcus Schmöger, 23 August 2001
Take a look at <civetta.sienanet.it>.
The Palio is explained, and all the flags are illustrated.
T.F. Mills
I got Siena Palio images from a postcard series copyright ca.
1955. The flags from the postcards are the main standards of the
contrade (districts). These are not the throwing versions,
which appear to be much less elaborate. There is also some
evidence that there is no fixed pattern for these flags, and that
they may evolve with the fashions of the times.
T.F. Mills 24 July 1999
This is the most complete site about Palio, Contrade....many
images and flags at <www.ilpaliodisiena.com>.
Alex Baldi , Le Muse Multimediali , 28 March 2000
There are 17 family-districts (contrade) in Siena. You
can see their flags at <www.comune.siena.it>,
click on the IL PALIO box, click on the Le 17 Contrade link,
click on the clickable map.
T.F. Mills, 14 November 2000 and Ole Andersen,
23 March 2001
Having seen many images of the Palio over the decades, I think
it is safe to say there is no "sealed pattern" for
these flags, and they follow the ancient custom of "heraldic
license" where details are not prescribed.
There is also a big difference between these large flags carried
by the standard bearer of each contrada, and the smaller throwing
flags. The latter tend to be of much simpler design, and
they also seem to vary over the years. The constants would
appear to be the major colours and the principal motif.
T.F. Mills, 23 March 2001
Recently a friend of mine brought me a flag he bought in
Siena. It is obviously one of the flags of the Contrade in Siena,
namely the Contrade della Pantera. It differs from the design
shown on the website of Siena, though.
However, there were already reports, that there are always quite
a lot of variations from the basic design.
Marcus Schmöger, 23 August 2001
I was asked by Jorge Candeias: is there an adecuate
translation in english of "contrada"?
I checked this out yersterday and my dictionary reports
'district', even though it suggests using 'contrada' when
relating to those of Siena. To the best of my knowledge, Palio
roughly translates as 'tournament'. I think the reason is that
Siena dues much of its fame to those 'contrade', as much as
Venice to canals, which are usually translated like that and not
like 'channels' or 'rivers', even though they are actually such
things.
Manuel Giorgini, 14 November 2001
The "contrade" are the quarters of the city that try
to win a flag (il palio) on July 2nd for the first time and on 15
August 15th, for the second time. The race is an horse race on
the main place of the city. Is a medieval race with the people
dressed with medieval costumes. If you want it's possible to have
more information in the site of the town <www.comune.siena.it>.
The names of the "contrade" are:
Torre (Tower)
Bruco (Caterpillar)
Chiocciola (Snail)
Istrice (Porcupine)
Civetta (Owl)
Drago (Dragon)
Giraffa (Giraffe)
Leocorno (a imaginary
animal vith the body of horse and a horn on the front)
Lupa (Wolf female)
Montone (Ram)
Nicchio (Shell)
Oca (Goose)
Onda (Wave)
Pantera (Panther)
Selva (Woods, Forest)
Tartuca (Turtle)
Aquila (Eagle)
Bruno Fracasso, 18 December 2001
Here is the flag of AC
Siena, the main soccer team of the town of Siena, in Tuscany from
<www.acsiena.it>.
Paolo Montanelli, 7 August 2003
