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Medieval Events |
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 Historical celebrations such as the Palio of Montagnana and the Tournement of Monselice, expresses the inhabitants' attachment to the land, its traditions and the pride of their origins, as well as the wish of being together with joy and entertainments. Drum rolls, fidgety pawing horses, twinkling swords and chain mail. They then come with the gloomy figures of the tyrant Ezzelino Da Romano and the retinue of the Da Carrara Family, the protagonists of both history and legend. Tune of clarions and flaming colors of waving flags accompany their walk throughout the streets of Montagnana till the heavy Fort "Rocca" where the Palio takes place. Once more, every year since 1366 on the 1st Sunday in September, the Palio challenge consists of a clash of skills and courage. Ten horses and ten knights representing different suburbs of Montagnana defeat themselves with the same passion and in the same way they used to. See the Palio of the 10 communes home page This manifestation, supported and sponsored by the association of "the Tournament of the Rocca", isn't simply a "dressed up" horse race. It is a fest involving the whole town- more popular than the annual "Fair of Saints"- and it gathers thousands and thousands of people. The tournament takes place on the 2nd and 3rd Sunday of September. There are different competitions: the archery and the mills, the relay race and there is also the chess tournament. On the 2nd Sunday of September, in the morning, the historic procession invades the town center. There are more than 1000 "figures". In the afternoon, there is the "Challenge of the Quintana." 18 knights (9 representing their opponents) have to catch three small rings placed on the arm of the "Quintana" in as many laps of an oval-shaped quarry. |
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