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Siena's contrade
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Siena takes great pride in its division into neighbourhoods, or
contrade
, ancient self-governing wards that formed a patchwork of tribal identity within the fabric of the city and that still flourish today, helping to foster tight bonds of community and contributing to Siena's surprisingly low crime rate. Each of the seventeen
contrade
has its own church, social club and museum. Each, too, has a heraldic animal motif, displayed in a fountain-sculpture in its neighbourhood piazza. Allegiance to one's
contrada
- conferred by birth - remains a strong element of civic life, and identification with the
contrade
is integral to the competition of the Palio. You'll often see groups of
comparse
practising flag-waving and drum-rolling around town.
The
contrade
A
museums
, with their displays of Palio trophies, are open to visitors during the build-up to the Palio and at other times by appointment (ask the tourist office to book for you at least a week in advance). Other useful information
for tourists (each section contains more specific sub-sections): |
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Italy,
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