Amelia: Past and Present

Authors: Andrea Costa and Lorenzo Bernardini

In the past many traditions began in Amelia; for example, the “Palio dei Colombi”, a horse race, where riders of neighborhood clubs have to hit a target with a spear on horseback before another rider. If neither of the two horse riders hits the target, there are the crossbowmen who have to hit another target, and if they are successful a dove is freed. After the palio, the neighborhood winner is announced as well as other prizes; for example, for the music during the parade and the best “angolo” (see below).

There are five neighborhood clubs: Crux Burgi, Vallis, Platea, Posterola and Collis. Every neighborhood wears different medieval clothes based on the old social classes; for example, Crux Burgi was the poor neighborhood and Collis was the rich.

Every neighborhood club has a historical parade, a tavern and a show called “angolo”. In the parade people wear medieval clothes and there is a group of musicians who play drums and trumpets. The parade starts from the Duomo and finishes at the sports field, where the Palio takes place. They both happen on the same day in August. In the taverns young and old serve dinner, made up of typical kinds of food and drinks from Amelia. In “angolo” people from each neighborhood become actors; it consists of inventing a medieval story which should be funny and realistic. They both happen in July.

Another tradition is an event where young people throw flags; but there are also older people who joined the association when they were young. Everyone can partecipate in these events.

These traditions began in the past and continue today because Amelia’s citiziens still feel a sense of belonging to their own neighborhood and enjoy a bit of competition.

Go to the site: https://www.paliodeicolombi.it/ for more information.