Article first published as BackTo The Middle Ages In Italy on Technorati.
The first Sunday
of September in the afternoon, thousands of people gather in the town of
Arezzo, Tuscany. The reason? The Giostra del Saracino (Joust of the Saracen), an incredibly popular medieval
tournament held in this lovely old city twice a year, in July as well as
September. It is said that the origins of the joust go back to the Crusades,
and its popularity varied during time, before being firmly reinstated during
the 1930s.
As you arrive,
you really have the feeling that you have stepped back in time… A great deal of
detail goes into the historical costumes, and the explosion of colours is a
pure delight. Not only are the protagonists of the tournament dressed that way,
but residents too. On the day of the event, a procession takes place from the
dome to the Piazza Grande, starting with a blessing of the Bishop in front of
the cathedral. Once everyone is gathered in the main square, the flag wavers,
known as the sbandieratori, demonstrate their skills, launching their flags
high into the sky before catching them at the last second. It is then time for
the representatives of the four districts to defy each other. They joust in
pairs, mounted on a horse, but nowadays do not throw lances at each other
anymore. Instead, the aim of the game is to hit the Saracen king, a target
carved in wood, trying to score a maximum of points in order to win the golden
lance.
There are also
several other traditional events to choose from, not only in Tuscany but also
in regions such as Umbria or Le Marche.
The Quintana of Foligno (Umbria) is one of
them. It was named after the 5th road of the Roman military camp,
dedicated to the training of lance fighting, and was later turned into a knight
jousting tournament. In 1613 it was officially instated as part of the Carnival
celebrations. The first part of the event is held in June on a Saturday night,
and the counter challenge the second or third Sunday of September. Ten knights,
representing the town quarters, are competing. Their duty is to catch with
their lance three rings of decreasing sizes, which are dangling from a gyrating
statue of Mars, the Roman God of war. All this while sitting on a horse going
at full speed.
Other
possibilities include the Palio del
Serafino in Sarnano or the Disfia del
Bracciale in Treia, both located in the Marche region. The Palio del Serafino is a reminiscence of
the 13th and 14th centuries that happens in August and
consists of a week of processions, banquets and tournaments opposing the four
different parts of the town. The Disfia
del Bracciale sees teams of two players dressed in medieval costumes and
sporting big spiky bracelets made of wood confront each other. The purpose of the
game, played against the fortified walls, is to propel a leather ball over a
high net. The match and the party that follow are the culminating point of ten
days of celebrations.
Are you ready to
join in?
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