Palio della Balestra

Medieval challenge between Sansepolcro and Gubbio

Sansepolcro, hometown of Piero della Francesca and green town of Valtiberina, hosts Palio della Balestra, a centuries-old challenge between the cities of Gubbio and Sansepolcro. Takes place in September in honor of the founding Sant Egidio. A backdrop to this historical dispute is the charming and ancient Piazza della Torre Berta.

The Palio della Balestra has its roots in the middle ages and the Renaissance, when maintaining proper trainings with the crossbow "big" to always have a military force ready to defend the city. Crossbow shooting competitions you are nearly extinct, since gunpowder was introduced; the only where the tradition has remained unchanged for centuries and centuries are those of Sansepolcro, Gubbio.

In Palio della Balestra, the Crossbowmen of the two factions in their renaissance costumes compete, alternating shots, to win the cloth (a true woolen cloth from which to derive a dress). The epic battle between the two cities, documented since the seventeenth century, is held with a background of Knights and ladies who attend the race themed clothes, while the flag throwers throw in air the banners with the historical colours of neighborhoods. Sansepolcro, a city rich in art and culture finds its culmination in historical representation in this charming Renaissance rally.

 

Photo Credits [valtiberinaland.com]