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This display is put on twice a year in Arezzo also in nocturnal edition, the third
Saturday in June for the city's Joust of San Donato and
the first Sunday in September, the September Joust takes
place. The four old quarters of the city take part in
it. These are Porta Crucifera whose colours are red
and green, Porta del Foro, whose colours are yellow
and crimson, Porta Sant'Andrea, whose colours are green
and white and Porta del Borgo, now called Porta Santo
Spirito and whose colours are yellow and blue.
The Joust begins with a historic pageant in which 311
people take part, in 14th century costume, and 31 horses.
The blessing of the armies by the bishop of the city,
on the steps of the cathedral, is the crucial moment
of the pageant. This mounted tournament takes place
in the delightful setting of the Piazza Grande, under
the command of the Maestro del Campo (Master of the
Field), and the knights from the four quarters set off
at a gallop towards an automaton in armour and who is
armed with a scourge, depicting the Saracen "Puppet
king of the Indies". The pair of jousters who collect
the largest number of points in hitting the shield of
the Saracen, win the Golden Lance.
date 2006: Sat.
17 June noct. ed. Sunday 3 Sept. diurn.edition
www.giostradelsaracino.arezzo.it
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"La Giostra del Saracino"
(The Sarecen Joust) is an old game which dates back to the Middle
Ages, and is based on the centuries old Christian fight to hold back
the advance of Islam. Between 1500 and 1600, memorable Baroque jousts
were organized in Arezzo and in modern times it has acquired an important
social function in the midst of urban society. The joust takes place
both during state visits (visits by ruling princes), and also to add
solemnity to civilian events (carnival, weddings). 
In the eighteenth century the Joust went through a period of decline
until it actually disappeared, at least the more "noble" version of
it did. After a strong revival between the eighteenth and nineteenth
centuries, it disappeared again after 1810 and made a fleeting reappearance
in 1904, thanks to the reappraisal of the Middle Ages, brought about
by the romantic movement, the Joust was again re-established in 1931,
as a historic revival, set in the fourteenth century, and soon acquired
a real competitive spirit. |
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TuscanyDream/Tourism
and accomodation/The Sarecen Joust
