Italy Panorama

La Quintana!

Medieval Sights and Sounds

Every year Ascoli Piceno transforms back into the important and bustling Middle Ages city it once was. La Quintana, Ascoli’s high-energy medieval jousting match, rivals the excitement of Siena’s Palio but without the crushing crowds. The beautiful centro storico fills with colorful banners and resplendent costumes as the city pays homage to its storied past.

Carried on since the early 1300s, the thrilling, historical events take place over a month-long period, starting with the flag-throwers competition. Forget any image you may have of a majorette with a baton. These guys, called sbandieratori, are athletes with great balance, strength, coordination, stamina and a touch of showmanship. They launch the heavy flags in a show of artistry filling the space above the piazza with a blaze of unfurling color, some working as many five flags at a time, deftly using their feet as well as their hands to fling the banners skyward in an explosion of waving glory.

Groups Sbandieratore competition

The most amazing sbandieratore event is the large-group competitions, whose choreography incorporat the movements and intermingling of the musicians, making American marching bands look positively bland. Drummers twirled in formation while long wooden-handled flags whipped past their heads. Without flinching. Slender elongated brass trumpets blast while their players weave among the host of characters. The entire scene looks like an elaborate, beautiful dance. Oh yes, and all of this is performed while wearing heavy brocade and velvet costumes.

Preceding the jousting match is the mother of all pageants, the corteo storico, in which 1400 participants in costume parade through the travertine-paved piazzas and streets in a grand procession. Knights in actual armor and women in glorious gowns are accompanied by citizens representing old-world themes, such as archers, falconers, mountaineers, and more, and is fascinating to watch.

It’s a step back to the Middle Ages when the noble families and their courtiers, along with the valiant cavaliers who defended the city amassed before the common folk to show their power, prestige, skill and beauty.

The colors of the costumes and banners

The events of La Quintana culminate in the high-energy and highly heated jousting match where the sestieri (districts) inhabitants root loudly for their neighborhood’s horse and cavalier to win the cherished Palio.

The joust utilizes a unique figure 8-shaped track; in the middle is a target called the Saracen or the Moor. (No, political correctness hasn’t invaded medieval traditions.) The cavalieri must ride the horse around the perimeter of the track, enter the figure 8 and skillfully maneuver the horse on the tight turns while grasping a long, heavy wooden lance that he uses to pound the target, all at full speed.

On Target!

It is an exciting and heart-pounding event played out before thousands of spectators, all of whom have strong affiliation with their sestieri. The preliminary joust in July serves to rile people up so that when the August edition rolls around the fans scream curses about the opposing cavaliers’ mothers, the other districts’ intelligence levels, and other epithets. No wonder city-state wars broke out so frequently in the Middle Ages.

Following the competition, the winner is announced, the Palio is awarded, and the teams parade out of the stadium in the order of placement, a long tradition which allows the citizens to see how their teams fared. With rhythmic drumbeats they march home, accompanied by their neighbors, to celebrate or mourn the day’s wins and losses.

Citta della Quintana