THE PALIO
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PALIO DEL BIGONZOSTART

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PALIO DEL BIGONZO DRUMMERS

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PALIO DEL BIGONZO FLAG-WAVERS

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PALIO DEL BIGONZO SWORDSMEN

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PALIO DEL BIGONZO FINISH LINE

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PALIO DEL BIGONZO VICTORY CELEBRATION

RADICOFANI AND ITS PALIO

During the Middle Ages, Radicofani was divided into four villages, each one having own walls and administration. Together, the four villages constituted the community of Radicofani, administered by its Statutes.
The community was closely related to the viticulture that in fact was meticulously regulated in the Statutes of those years (1255 and 1411). The wine production was increased over the centuries up to reach the production of 3000 hectoliters of wine.
The most suitable area for viticulture was called “Valle delle Vigne” and here in the XVII Century was built the little Sanctuary of “Madonna delle Vigne”, whose feast is still celebrated on September 8 of each year.

Connect to this festivity, in 2006 was proposed again the Palio’s race between the four contrade of Radicofani:

BORGO CASTELLO
BORGO MAGGIORE

BORGO CASTEL MORRO
BORGO BONMIGLIACCIO
together with that of
CASTELLO DI CONTIGNANO.

Every year, in the second Sunday of September, after the presentation of the Palio’s prize, the Mass, the extraordinary historical parade with more than hundred walkers on, the drums and the sounds of clarions, the bearers of stretchers with “bigonzi” (old wooden containers used for carrying the grapes) start to run through the winding streets of Radicofani and try to reach the square of “San Pietro” where in front of the old Church the winner is proclaimed.


MAGISTRATO DELLE CONTRADE
RADICOFANI
PALIO DEL BIGONZO/ LIST OF WINNERS

THE CONTRADAS

Radicofani’s contrade, already described in the municipal Statutes of 1255 remember the history of the ancient villages born in different ages, all of them with the purpose of supervise the volcanic cliff up to its top.
The four villages constitute all together Radicofani, a complex organization as complex and articulated are their historical events.
The villages were: Borgo Maggiore exposed to the South with the cliff in the back, then above Borgo di Castelmorro exposed to the North, then upper Borgo Bonmigliaccio and Borgo Castello in the top of the cliff. The history of Castello of Contignano is different because in the Middle Ages was a distinct village.

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BORGO
CASTELLO
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BORGO
MAGGIORE
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BORGO
CASTEL MORRO
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BORGO
BONMIGLIACCIO
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CASTELLO DI
CONTIGNANO
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PHOTO GALLERY

PALIO DEL BIGONZO 2014

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Copyright 2015 Comune di Radicofani
© 2015 - Comune di Radicofani