A plunge into the past to discover ladies, knights and, above all, the ancient art of the crossbow. That is what will be on thescene in Sansepolcro in the province of Arezzo on Sunday, September 14 when the famous Palio della Balestra will be held.
It is acommemoration of the historic competition between the Tuscan city and the Umbrian city of Gubbio that takes place twice a year. In the spring, in May, the crossbowmen meet in the province of Perugia and then in September there is the return match at Sansepolcro.

The crossbowmen from both towns alternate in Piazza Torre di Berta shooting arrows that sink their points in the target (the socalled “tasso”) with truly astonishing precision. At the end, when the silence is supreme, the one with a perfect match who is worthy of carrying home the much sought after prize will be made known.

This competition’s tradition is found in medieval roots when the crossbow was a lethal instrument but also a useful item for popular military drills that little by little became indispensable for the protection of the budding municipalities. The spectacle offered by the master crossbowmen is therefore without equal, but also even more spectacular is the historic commemoration that highlights the ballistic talents and the capacity for extreme concentration of men from the 21st century who are dressed in the clothing of their predecessors.
As with all historic events worthy of the name, the costumes are inspired by the past, in our case, from the Renaissance and the city of Sansepolcro recaptures designs and colours from the splendid paintings of Piero della Francesca, symbol of the city.

Author: Nicola Vasai

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