Palio di Parma

Flag wavers and people in medieval clothes going to the Parma Cathedral

Medieval Chor during the Palio blessing ceremony

The Palio di Parma is a festival that is held once a year in the northern Italian town of Parma, and traces back to the ancient "Scarlet Run"".^[1] The Palio is normally hold on the third weekend of September.

History

The origin of this festival can be reconducted to 1314^[2] as reported by Giovanni Del Giudice in the "Chronicon Parmense",^[3] talking about a festival hold to honour the engagement between Giberto III Da Correggio, ruler of Parma from 1303 to 1316, and Engelenda Rossi, also called Maddalena Rossi di San Secondo daughter of Guglielmo Rossi and Donella da Carrara rulers of Padova.^[4] This brought to an end of the several fight among their noble families wanting to dominate Parma. On that day, all the enemy families of Giberto Da Correggio were allowed to return in Parma, and even some prisoners gained back freedom. The games consisted in several competition with medieval weapons and horses. The festival was held every year on 15 August,^[5] from the fourteenth century to Napoleon's arrival in the nineteenth century.

Nowadays

Starting from 1978^[2] the competition was brought to a new life. The town is divided in 5 different areas called "Porte", referring to the ancient doors which allowed to enter in the town from the walls of the town. Each of them forms a different team. There are 3 running competitions, one for men, one for women and one for children riding donkeys. In each of them the door try to win a painting showing one of the monuments of the town and Holy Mary, protector of Parma.^[6]

Porte

Porta di Santa Croce

Impresa	Colours	Territory	Church
Eagle	Green	Via d'Azeglio, Piazzale Inzani, Via Imbriani (lato nord), Via Gramsci, Viale Piacenza, Via Fleming, Via Buffolara, Via Savani, indicativamente tutta la zona nord Ovest della città.	Chiesa di Santa Croce (Parma) (piazzale Santa Croce)

Porta San Francesco

Impresa	Colours	Territory	Church
Wolf	Black and White	Strada Bixio, lato sud di via D'Azeglio dal Ponte all'Annunziata, Via della Costituente, Via Imbriani (lato sud), Via della Salute, Viale Spezia, Viale Milazzo, Via Silvio Pellico, Viale Milazzo, indicativamente tutta la zona sud Ovest della città.	Chiesa della Santissima Annunziata (Parma) (Strada d'Azeglio)

Porta Nuova

Impresa	Colours	Territory	Church
Unicorn	Blue	Strada Farini, Borgo Giacomo, Via XXII Luglio, Borgo Felino, Viale Basetti, Viale Martiri della Libertà, Viale Solferino, Viale Rustici, indicativamente la zona sud della città.	Chiesa di Sant'Uldarico (Strada Farini)

Porta San Michele

Impresa	Colours	Territory	Church
Dragon	Yellow	Strada della Repubblica, Via Dalmazia, Viale Tanara, Strada Elevata, Viale Partigiani d'Italia, Viale Pier Maria Rossi, Via Zarotto, Via Emilia Est, indicativamente tutta la zona est della città.	Chiesa di San Sepolcro (Parma) (via della Repubblica)

Porta San Barnaba

Impresa	Colours	Territory	Church
Lion	Red	Strada Garibaldi, Strada Cavour, Borgo Parmigianino, Via Verdi, Viale Toscanini, Viale Fratti, Via Trento, Strada San Leonardo, Via Palermo, Via Europa, indicativamente tutta la zona nord est della città.	Chiesa di San Francesco del Prato (piazzale San Francesco)

The symbhols of the 5 doors in Parma

Map showing the division of the historical center in five doors

Map showing the whole city of Parma divided among the five doors

Winning Door

Prisoner

Blessing ceremony

Inhabitants of Parma in medieval clothes

Medieval warrior

Flag wavers reaching the area of the competitions

Palio di Parma - Flag wavers in front of the ducal palace, territory of the door said "Santa Croce"

Notes

External links

• Official site