Palio della Balestra Festival

A Renaissance tradition spanning over four centuries

In the heart of the Tuscan Valtiberina, in the province of Arezzo, the Palio della Balestra Festival transforms the historic center of Sansepolcro into a Renaissance stage every September. The Borgo di Piero—named for the great painter Piero della Francesca who was born here—brings the arts, crafts, sounds, and colors of the 16th century back to life in one of Tuscany's most important historical re-enactments, officially listed in the Regional Calendar of Historical Re-enactments.

The Palio della Balestra: Sansepolcro vs. Gubbio

The highlight is the Palio della Balestra, an ancient-style crossbow shooting competition pitting the crossbowmen of Sansepolcro against those of Gubbio. The challenge, documented since 1594 but with even deeper roots, takes place in two stages: the last Sunday of May in Gubbio and the second Sunday of September in Sansepolcro, in Piazza Torre di Berta. Eighty crossbowmen take turns at the shooting benches, aiming their bolts at the 'corniolo'—the exact center of the target. The winner receives the palio, a hand-painted banner. Tradition holds that Piero della Francesca himself was among the holders of municipal crossbows and that Cosimo de' Medici attended the match; in 1965, the poet Salvatore Quasimodo dedicated a poem to the event.

Processions, flag-wavers, and historic markets

The festival extends far beyond the competition. From the first days of September, the squares and streets of Sansepolcro bustle with historical processions, performances by flag-wavers and musicians, the rolling of drums, and the sound of clarions. Recurring events include:

• the Palio di Sant'Egidio, a shooting competition between the city's districts;
• the Mercato di Sant'Egidio, a historic market featuring Renaissance arts and crafts set up in the cloister and the town center;
• flag-waver performances, including groups from twin cities;
• Renaissance games and demonstrations of ancient combat techniques at the Sala d'Arme Achille Marozzo;
• concerts and ceremonies in the Cathedral, including the Offering of the Wax;
• evening dances and shows in the historic center.

Sansepolcro and the Valtiberina

Visiting Sansepolcro during the Palio means discovering an artistic village nestled in the hills bordering Umbria, home to masterpieces by Piero della Francesca such as the Resurrection and the Madonna del Parto in nearby Monterchi. The historic bond with Gubbio, on the other side of the Apennines, makes the Palio della Balestra much more than a competition: it is the symbol of a Renaissance identity that links two cities and two regions, Tuscany and Umbria, around an ancient weapon and a ritual that has been repeated for centuries.