County Festival – Palio of the Districts

A Renaissance court among the tuff-stone alleys

Every year, in mid-August, Pitigliano – the famous "Little Jerusalem" perched on tuff rock in the province of Grosseto, in the heart of the Tuscan Maremma – turns back the clock to the golden age of the Orsini County. The County Festival is a Renaissance historical re-enactment that transforms the historic center into a true 16th-century court for three days, with the Orsini Palace serving as a monumental backdrop.

The Palio of the Districts

The beating heart of the festival is the Palio of the Districts, a challenge between the four historic districts of the village, each with its own colors and patron saint:

• Capisotto (Saint Mary) – amaranth and light blue
• Fratta (Saint Roch) – green and orange
• Borgonovo (Saint Anthony) – yellow and black
• Capisopra (Saint Catherine) – white and blue

Over the course of the three evenings, the districts compete in tests of skill and speed: starting with the draw and assignment of runners on the first night, moving to the semi-finals, and finally the highly anticipated finals on the last evening, when the Palio is awarded and the winning district is declared. This is the moment when local rivalry, experienced with passion by young and old alike, reaches its peak.

Re-enactment, procession, and entertainment

The festival celebrates the era of Count Niccolò III Orsini and weaves local history with that of the architect Antonio da Sangallo the Younger, creator of important works in Pitigliano. Jesters, acrobats, jugglers, dancers, musicians, soldiers, archers, drummers, and costumed figures bring the village streets to life in a succession of performances that recreate the atmosphere of a Renaissance court.

Taverns and the County Market

The convivial dimension is not forgotten: the Hosteria del Viandante offers sandwiches, wine, beer, traditional desserts, and the essential hippocras, while the Count's Mess is a dinner-show set up in the square. All around, the County Market unfolds, with stalls featuring crafts, art, and ancient trades that complete the immersion into the past.

A signature event of the Maremma

Organized by the Polisportiva San Rocco in collaboration with the Municipality of Pitigliano and numerous local entities, the County Festival is much more than a simple re-enactment: it is an identity-defining event that involves the entire community and, against the unique backdrop of the village carved into the tuff, offers visitors one of the most authentic experiences in southern Tuscany.