There are 2 dates you should save on your agenda: July 11th and August 2nd 2015.
These are the days when the city of
Ascoli Piceno will come to life and you can experience the great middle age era called
Quintana.
This below is the main square of the city, Piazza Del Popolo.
What can I say about it? The image speaks for itself.
Ascoli Piceno is a small lovely city in the heart of Italy, and it is also the place where I was born and raised and where my family still lives. I know it by heart and honestly say it is worth coming for a visit, especially during the Quintana event.
Quintana is festivity that happens 2 times a year, during summer. In July is during the evening, in August is during the day.
How this festivity works: there are 6 blocks in the city of Ascoli: Porta Tufilla (where I am from and I am supporter!!), Porta Romana, Porta Maggiore, Sant'Emidio, Piazzarola and Porta Solestà . Each of them participate in the competition.
In each block called "sestiere", the local people dress up and represent all the typical characters of that period: the knight, the major, the dame, the servants, the flags holders, the armour holders etc...
There is an initial and a final parade in the streets of the center of the city. The game takes place in a stadium where the 6 knights of each sestiere have to ride their horses and can score more points in order to win the "palio" of the year. There is a "moro" in the middle of the stadium that has to be scored in the center of the panel it holds. The more center the knight scores, the more points he makes.
I would highly recommend to navigate the website
www.vistiascoli.it to get more information about how to get to Ascoli Piceno, what to eat (really amazing local food!), where to sleep and what other events to attend and art spots to visit around the city.
Enjoy my Region Le Marche!!
Eliana
Photo credits:
Pinktrotters Team + Teresa Barberio
