Palio dell’Assunta postponed, storm over Siena. De Mossi: “There was no other choice”
In Vallepiatta, spells are a must. The last time the Palio was postponed was 2015. On August 17, La Selva arrived first at the flagwith Tittia and Polonski. That green flag, symbol of postponement, displayed in the three-light windows of the Palazzo Pubblico, does not actually make anyone happy. The Sienese, who after a day of waiting have to relive once again the tension of hours that never pass. Tourists, who will be able to correct the shot, staying one more day in Siena. Yet when the worst seemed to be behind us, at least according to weather forecasts, a storm hit the city. About ten minutes of pouring rain in mid-afternoon and the party had no escape. The tuff turned into a quagmire and at that point the decision was made to postpone the race for 24 hours. The municipal operators have arranged the walkways to encourage the smell from Piazza del Campo and avoid the conditions of the track. On the other hand, it has been rested since Monday evening, because the Provaccia was not played yesterday morning: again due to bad weather. When the stop sign came, the «Historic Walk» was ready to parade under the Torre del Mangia.
Today, from 4.50 pm, it will then resume with all the canonical passages, including the live television broadcast on La7. “It is impossible to think of carrying out the Historical Parade and the Career with the track so ruined by bad weather,” said Mayor Luigi De Mossi. “There was no choice: the amount of water dropped, albeit in a short time – he continued – immediately made the track impracticable, making a career in complete safety impossible, so we were forced to display the green flag, that is to postpone until tomorrow (today, ed) Parade and Palio, with the same times. The municipal employees, as already happened in an optimal way in recent days, will immediately get to work to restore the right conditions of the tuff ». The extension of the party did not compromise only the presence of thousands of tourists. If Enrico Letta had already decided not to go to Siena, Matteo Salvini was expected under the Municipality just before the exit of the districts from the Cortile del Podestà. He will not be there, like other guests. Vittorio Sgarbi was present in the city yesterday, who recently compared the Palio of Siena with that of Ferrara. “Ours is the only Palio, the most beautiful in the world”, replied De Mossi, then also finding the consent of the art critic: “I made a joke, but I meant that Siena is unsurpassable and is a model for anyone who wants to make a Palio ». Postponement or not.
The newsletter
If you want to stay updated on the news of Florence, subscribe to the Corriere Fiorentino newsletter for free. It arrives every day straight to your inbox at 12 noon. Just click here
17 August 2022 | 07:57
© REPRODUCTION RESERVED