The colors of SIENA

Siena, at alst, has a guide to the Palio, a guide which is at once concise and precise, in-depth yet readily accessible, in keeping with tradition and convenient to use. This book is an ideal and immediate tool for anyone who would like to delve into the centuries-old festival and to discover its historic essence as well as its curious characteristics.

This versatile volume was written first and foremost for the journalists who, on the 2nd of July and the 16th of August each year, come here from all parts of Italy and from around the world. Arriving often on the eve of the event itself, these writers may be less than fully aware of the passionate piece of historyabout which they will have to write their sixty lines the following day.

This guide is thus an aid to professionals in the field of information, a grateful gift of thanks for the attentio they devote to us every year.

We hope to offer a precious gift to the journalists, and consequently to the city itself: These pages furnish the busy reader with a true picture of the Palio, the picture that the people of Siena would wish to keep distortion-free.

Here then, in this lovely graphic volume where black and white alternate with the colors od extraordinary images, is the historical essay by anthropologist Alessandro Falassi, followed by a beatiful parade of pictures that show the intense hours of long preparation, everything from the veterinary examination of the horses to the administrative workings of the Municipality, which we would take this opportunity to thank.

The full-color, highly detailed fact-sheets on the Contrade do more than merely tell the story of each neighborhood or describe the beauty of the many museums; the fact-sheets serve as an indispensable tool for the quick recognition of the festival's main characters. The book moreover includes the "Quotable Quotations", more than 100 thoughts and messages, meaningful expressions dedicated to the Palio by illustrious personalities and by the Sienese people themselves.

At the end there is a glossary and, for those eager to read further on the Palio, a wide- ranging bibliography including editions published by the Contrade and by the Municipality. We trust that this guide will spark, in many readers' minds, a bright curiosity and a desire to know more.