751 years later in Montaperti

Too late to hide the fact that the person writing the blog was born in Siena, and has Sienese blood flowing in her veins (though it's mixed with other Tuscan cities).

So, how else can I stress my origins if not by remembering the toughest battle that Siena had against its worse enemy, Florence, in 1260. It is the only battle that every average Sienese person knows, and the reason for this is that it's the only one in which we really and truly won.

Ok it was 751 years ago... But every year we remember what happened and we celebrate by staging a mock battle, which envolves the Sienese army and the supporting army of the Emperor Manfred, and the Florentine army. The latter being almost magically defeated after having threatened the destruction of Siena, if the governement of the city hadn't given up its independence to Florence.

It was a cruel and fierce battle. Even our Dante Alighieri wrote about it in the Divine Comedy saying that the water of the nearby river Arbia turned red because of all the blood of the Florentine soldiers dying in the battlefield.

After the 4th of September 1260 Siena became the "capital" of Tuscany, or rather, the most influent city in Tuscany. This period didn't last long though. But shhhhhh, don't tell all those proud Sienese people, who don't know what happened just a few years later... So let's keep dwelling on this memory for another 751 years, and maybe even more. We in Siena are used to looking at the past glories, and forgetting the present.

For those who read Italian, following is a piece, which describes what happened.

La battaglia durò passato il vespro. Era tanta l'uccisione che i sanesi facevano dei nemici che non potevano più combattere per la stanchezza e la moltitudine dei morti "che tute le strade e viotoli corivano sangue e fu alora"- narra il cronista-che la Malena "corse sangue de' fiorentini". I sopravvissuti si dettero a una fuga disperata, ma erano inseguiti, braccati, incalzati e raggiunti dai tedeschi che li mettevano al taglio della spada. Un tal Geppo, un taglialegna per conto di Siena con la sua scure ne scannò 25: un fiume di sangue correva per le vie e sui campi.
Dalla torre intanto l'annuncio della vittoria: I fiorentini sono stati sconfitti.

A picture, so that we all have an idea of how it might have been...

And finally a link for more info.

Little beauties

Lippo Memmi, Madonna del Popolo

Tomorrow the author of this post is going to have a guided tour in Siena. While revising for it, since it's going to be a "new" itinerary, she found this beauty, and couldn't avoid sharing it with you. The Madonna del Popolo was painted by Lippo Memmi, brother-in-law of the great Simone Martini (and great himself I reckon), around the 1330s. A careful visit in Siena shares this and many other beauties with visitors interested in something "off the beaten path"...

Our lovely sweets

I've always said they're special, though I don't always like them, because when they're industrial made their quality drops horribly... But when you go to the right shop and buy them (being prepared to spend a bit more for them than usual), you'll have a taste of heaven.

Now the at the EU they must have had a few of them, and they've realised that these sweets should be protected just like many other Italian culinary products. So one other reason for coming to Siena: RICCIARELLI!

For news on the EU's decision click here.

 

For info on the Ricciarelli click here.

The worst thing that could happen in our beloved Palio

It just happened this morning. The thing that every Sienese person hates to see. What we dread, what we hope never to see. And it happened during a practice, not even during the actual race. It might have been the ground (the stones are covered with compacted sand), which had been soaked by yesterday's rain, or it was just the strength of a horse, which was too much to control.

We lost one horse today, Messi was his name. He ran for the Chiocciola (the Snail). Now it's raining again, storming actually.

Looks like a really strange and sad Palio for us this year.

p.s. Sorry for this strange post, but who's writing is very emotional at the moment.

Palio, June 2011

Yesterday, in the Cortile del Podestà in Siena, the mayor presented this year's Palio, made by Tullio Pericoli, and dedicated to the 150th anniversary of the Unification of Italy. Below, you can see it in the picture. And here you can find detailed informations about it (in Italian though).

The Palio is the prize given to the winning district (Contrada, in Italian) of the horserace, which takes place every 2nd of July and 16th of August. It is made of silk and handpainted by an artist. Traditionally, but not always the Palio it's painted by local artists in July, while in August it's made by a "foreigner" international. In the past, we've had universally known artists such as Botero (here is a list of the artists of the 20th century).

The Palio (dedicated both in July and in August to a miraculous image of the Virgin Mary, e.g. the Virgin Mary of the ascension in August), must include the image of the Virgin Mary, the coats of arms of the City, the Province, and of the People of Siena, and the colours of the Contrada, which are taking part in the Palio. So this July we have: CHIOCCIOLA, CIVETTA, LUPA, OCA, PANTERA, TARTUCA, VALDIMONTONE, DRAGO, BRUCO E ISTRICE (snail, owl, she-wolf, goose, panther, turtle, ram, dragon, caterpillar, and porcupine).

Stay tuned! We will keep you posted on this week's horserace!

Living the medieval times in Monteriggioni, Siena

Late spring and early fall have always been times of the so called Sagre. A Sagra is a local festival usually taking place in smaller villages and towns rather than cities. Most of them are dedicated to a special kind of food, like pasta, fish, artichokes, cardoons, frogs (yes we do have this Sagra). Some are related to a theme, like the middleages, a time, which characterises our area, and which attracts so many tourists, who want to have an idea of how people lived 700 hundred years ago.

One of the best organized, and the most well-known (also abroad), is the one held in Monteriggioni the first two weekends of July. This year for example, the festival is dedicated to "war and peace". (See the link below)

But, however small a Sagra is, what's important is to eat well, that is enjoy the food and the wine, to have fun with friends, maybe meet some people, and dance or sing during the free concerts, which are always a must in these events.

For some information on the Sagre in the Province of Siena here are some of them. (Not much information in English unfortunately!)

www.monteriggionimedievale.it
www.sagradellapastasciutta.it
www.festaincollina.com/
www.serremaggio.it

Curiosities on Duccio di Buoninsegna

I was looking for some info on this fabulous Sienese artist of the 13th and 14th century, when I found this little rarity, which stamp collectioners might know about already. It is a stamp that Poste Italiane (the Italian post), issued in 2003, the year of Duccio's great exhibition in the Spedale Santa Maria della Scala in Siena.

It is a good example of the fine details, which characterise Duccio's paintings, of the sweetness of his faces, and of the beauty and poetry of what he left us.

I hope you enjoyed as much as I did when I found it!