http://www.lightstalkers.org/galleries/contact_sheet/4801 Twice a year, in July and August, a small city in Tuscany, Siena, change its face. All the men and women, the old and the young, turists and journalists, go in the centre of the town, the Campo Square, and in the early morning and in the late afternoon, for three days, they follow the trials of the ten horses of each Contrada, before the Palio race. This is a unique game in the world where each Contrada, a quarter in which is divided the town, join the competition with an horse given by the fortune during the “Tratta”, and runs against the over Contradas for three rounds in the Campo Square. But the Palio is more then this. It is a shocking mix of wills, passions, emotions, cries that goes through the soul of the city. Every Contradas people put all their souls and lifes in the spirits of the horses running. The hopes for the Siena Palio grow up during the year before the two races, when people have their daily life in the Contradas societies. Money, business, entertainments, weddings, funerals, all happen under the protection of the Contrada and its organization. When Siena arrives to the Palio race, people only wait to explode. In happiness, if they win, in despair and anger, if they do not. Due volte l’anno, in Luglio e Agosto, una piccola città in Toscana, Siena, cambia il suo aspetto. Tutti gli uomini e le donne, gli anziani e i giovani, turisti e giornalisti, si portano nel centro della città, Piazza del Campo, e alla mattina presto e nel tardo pomeriggio, per tre giorni, seguono le prove di dieci cavalli, uno per ogni Contrada, prima della corsa del Palio. Questa è un gioco unico nel suo genere dove ogni Contrada, uno dei quartieri in cui è suddivisa la città, si unisce alla competizione con un cavallo dato dalla sorte durante “la Tratta”, e corre contro le altre Contrade per tre giri in Piazza del Campo. Ma il Palio è molto più di questo. E’ un sorprendente mix di speranze, passioni, emozioni, urla, che corre attraverso l’anima della città. Ogni Contradaiolo mette tutto se stesso nello spirito del cavallo che corre. Le speranze per il Palio crescono durante l’anno che precede le corse, quando le persone vivono la loro vita quotidiana nelle società delle Contrade. Denaro, affari, divertimenti, matrimoni, funerlai, tutto avviene sotto l’egida della Contrada e della sua organizzazione. Quando Siena arriva al Palio, le persone aspettano solo di esplodere. Nella felicità, se arriva la vittoria, nella rabbia, se vengono sconfitti. http://www.lightstalkers.org en-us http://images.lightstalkers.org/avatars/13389/Io_copia_small.jpg http://www.lightstalkers.org/Stefano Snaidero <img src='http://s3.amazonaws.com/lightstalkers/images/149287/001_Palio_di_Siena_small.JPG' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149287'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149287 Thu, 18 Oct 2007 18:09:07 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149287 <img src='http://s3.amazonaws.com/lightstalkers/images/149287/001_Palio_di_Siena_small.JPG' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149287'>view full-size image</a> Stefano Snaidero <img src='http://s3.amazonaws.com/lightstalkers/images/149299/002_Palio_di_Siena_small.JPG' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149299'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149299 Thu, 18 Oct 2007 18:09:07 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149299 <img src='http://s3.amazonaws.com/lightstalkers/images/149299/002_Palio_di_Siena_small.JPG' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149299'>view full-size image</a> Stefano Snaidero <img src='http://s3.amazonaws.com/lightstalkers/images/149272/003_Palio_di_Siena_small.JPG' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149272'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149272 Thu, 18 Oct 2007 18:09:07 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149272 <img src='http://s3.amazonaws.com/lightstalkers/images/149272/003_Palio_di_Siena_small.JPG' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149272'>view full-size image</a> Stefano Snaidero <img src='http://s3.amazonaws.com/lightstalkers/images/149320/004_Palio_di_Siena_small.JPG' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149320'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149320 Thu, 18 Oct 2007 18:09:07 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149320 <img src='http://s3.amazonaws.com/lightstalkers/images/149320/004_Palio_di_Siena_small.JPG' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149320'>view full-size image</a> Stefano Snaidero <img src='http://s3.amazonaws.com/lightstalkers/images/149317/005_Palio_di_Siena_small.JPG' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149317'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149317 Thu, 18 Oct 2007 18:09:07 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149317 <img src='http://s3.amazonaws.com/lightstalkers/images/149317/005_Palio_di_Siena_small.JPG' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149317'>view full-size image</a> Stefano Snaidero <img src='http://s3.amazonaws.com/lightstalkers/images/149281/006_Palio_di_Siena_small.JPG' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149281'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149281 Thu, 18 Oct 2007 18:09:07 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149281 <img src='http://s3.amazonaws.com/lightstalkers/images/149281/006_Palio_di_Siena_small.JPG' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149281'>view full-size image</a> Stefano Snaidero <img src='http://s3.amazonaws.com/lightstalkers/images/149266/007_Palio_di_Siena_small.JPG' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149266'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149266 Thu, 18 Oct 2007 18:09:07 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149266 <img src='http://s3.amazonaws.com/lightstalkers/images/149266/007_Palio_di_Siena_small.JPG' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149266'>view full-size image</a> Stefano Snaidero <img src='http://s3.amazonaws.com/lightstalkers/images/149284/008_Palio_di_Siena_small.JPG' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149284'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149284 Thu, 18 Oct 2007 18:09:07 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149284 <img src='http://s3.amazonaws.com/lightstalkers/images/149284/008_Palio_di_Siena_small.JPG' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149284'>view full-size image</a> Stefano Snaidero <img src='http://s3.amazonaws.com/lightstalkers/images/149305/009_Palio_di_Siena_small.JPG' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149305'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149305 Thu, 18 Oct 2007 18:09:07 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149305 <img src='http://s3.amazonaws.com/lightstalkers/images/149305/009_Palio_di_Siena_small.JPG' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149305'>view full-size image</a> Stefano Snaidero <img src='http://s3.amazonaws.com/lightstalkers/images/149263/010_Palio_di_Siena_small.JPG' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149263'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149263 Thu, 18 Oct 2007 18:09:07 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149263 <img src='http://s3.amazonaws.com/lightstalkers/images/149263/010_Palio_di_Siena_small.JPG' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149263'>view full-size image</a> Stefano Snaidero <img src='http://s3.amazonaws.com/lightstalkers/images/149278/011_Palio_di_Siena_small.JPG' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149278'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149278 Thu, 18 Oct 2007 18:09:07 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149278 <img src='http://s3.amazonaws.com/lightstalkers/images/149278/011_Palio_di_Siena_small.JPG' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149278'>view full-size image</a> Stefano Snaidero <img src='http://s3.amazonaws.com/lightstalkers/images/149302/012_Palio_di_Siena_small.JPG' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149302'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149302 Thu, 18 Oct 2007 18:09:07 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149302 <img src='http://s3.amazonaws.com/lightstalkers/images/149302/012_Palio_di_Siena_small.JPG' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149302'>view full-size image</a> Stefano Snaidero <img src='http://s3.amazonaws.com/lightstalkers/images/149275/013_Palio_di_Siena_small.JPG' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149275'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149275 Thu, 18 Oct 2007 18:09:07 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149275 <img src='http://s3.amazonaws.com/lightstalkers/images/149275/013_Palio_di_Siena_small.JPG' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149275'>view full-size image</a> Stefano Snaidero <img src='http://s3.amazonaws.com/lightstalkers/images/149308/014_Palio_di_Siena_small.JPG' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149308'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149308 Thu, 18 Oct 2007 18:09:07 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149308 <img src='http://s3.amazonaws.com/lightstalkers/images/149308/014_Palio_di_Siena_small.JPG' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149308'>view full-size image</a> Stefano Snaidero <img src='http://s3.amazonaws.com/lightstalkers/images/149311/015_Palio_di_Siena_small.JPG' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149311'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149311 Thu, 18 Oct 2007 18:09:07 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149311 <img src='http://s3.amazonaws.com/lightstalkers/images/149311/015_Palio_di_Siena_small.JPG' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149311'>view full-size image</a> Stefano Snaidero <img src='http://s3.amazonaws.com/lightstalkers/images/149296/016_Palio_di_Siena_small.JPG' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149296'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149296 Thu, 18 Oct 2007 18:09:07 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149296 <img src='http://s3.amazonaws.com/lightstalkers/images/149296/016_Palio_di_Siena_small.JPG' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149296'>view full-size image</a> Stefano Snaidero <img src='http://s3.amazonaws.com/lightstalkers/images/149293/017_Palio_di_Siena_small.JPG' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149293'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149293 Thu, 18 Oct 2007 18:09:07 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149293 <img src='http://s3.amazonaws.com/lightstalkers/images/149293/017_Palio_di_Siena_small.JPG' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149293'>view full-size image</a> Stefano Snaidero <img src='http://s3.amazonaws.com/lightstalkers/images/149290/018_Palio_di_Siena_small.JPG' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149290'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149290 Thu, 18 Oct 2007 18:09:07 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149290 <img src='http://s3.amazonaws.com/lightstalkers/images/149290/018_Palio_di_Siena_small.JPG' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149290'>view full-size image</a> Stefano Snaidero <img src='http://s3.amazonaws.com/lightstalkers/images/149314/019_Palio_di_Siena_small.JPG' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149314'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149314 Thu, 18 Oct 2007 18:09:07 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149314 <img src='http://s3.amazonaws.com/lightstalkers/images/149314/019_Palio_di_Siena_small.JPG' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149314'>view full-size image</a> Stefano Snaidero <img src='http://s3.amazonaws.com/lightstalkers/images/149269/020_Palio_di_Siena_small.JPG' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149269'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149269 Thu, 18 Oct 2007 18:09:07 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149269 <img src='http://s3.amazonaws.com/lightstalkers/images/149269/020_Palio_di_Siena_small.JPG' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149269'>view full-size image</a> Stefano Snaidero <img src='http://s3.amazonaws.com/lightstalkers/images/149245/021_Palio_di_Siena_small.JPG' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149245'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149245 Thu, 18 Oct 2007 18:09:07 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149245 <img src='http://s3.amazonaws.com/lightstalkers/images/149245/021_Palio_di_Siena_small.JPG' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149245'>view full-size image</a> Stefano Snaidero <img src='http://s3.amazonaws.com/lightstalkers/images/149257/022_Palio_di_Siena_small.JPG' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149257'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149257 Thu, 18 Oct 2007 18:09:07 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149257 <img src='http://s3.amazonaws.com/lightstalkers/images/149257/022_Palio_di_Siena_small.JPG' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149257'>view full-size image</a> Stefano Snaidero <img src='http://s3.amazonaws.com/lightstalkers/images/149260/023_Palio_di_Siena_small.JPG' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149260'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149260 Thu, 18 Oct 2007 18:09:07 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149260 <img src='http://s3.amazonaws.com/lightstalkers/images/149260/023_Palio_di_Siena_small.JPG' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149260'>view full-size image</a> Stefano Snaidero <img src='http://s3.amazonaws.com/lightstalkers/images/149250/024_Palio_di_Siena_small.JPG' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149250'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149250 Thu, 18 Oct 2007 18:09:07 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149250 <img src='http://s3.amazonaws.com/lightstalkers/images/149250/024_Palio_di_Siena_small.JPG' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149250'>view full-size image</a> Stefano Snaidero <img src='http://s3.amazonaws.com/lightstalkers/images/149254/025_Palio_di_Siena_small.JPG' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149254'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149254 Thu, 18 Oct 2007 18:09:08 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149254 <img src='http://s3.amazonaws.com/lightstalkers/images/149254/025_Palio_di_Siena_small.JPG' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/149254'>view full-size image</a> Stefano Snaidero