Tria Turris – Medieval Festival and Palio delle Torri
The Middle Ages come to life in the historic center of Chiusi with districts, street performers, and the Palio delle Torri
About Tria Turris
Four days of the Middle Ages in the heart of the Valdichiana
In the heart of the Sienese Valdichiana, the Etruscan and medieval town of Chiusi, in the province of Siena, hosts the Tria Turris – Medieval Festival and Palio delle Torri every year at the end of June. For four days, the historic center turns into a grand medieval village: alleys, squares, and palaces relive the atmosphere of the 14th century through a whirlwind of traveling shows, markets, military encampments, and taverns. The event is organized by the Associazione Terzieri Città di Chiusi, and in 2026, it celebrates its fifteenth edition.
The origins: the three districts and the Palio delle Torri
Tria Turris is rooted in the 14th-century history of Chiusi, when the free city fought for its independence, caught between the Sienese Ghibellines and the Perugian Guelphs. The first Palio delle Torri dates back to this era, a challenge between the three terzieri (districts) into which the city was divided—Santa Maria, Sant'Angelo, and San Silvestro—as they vied for supremacy. Today, that rivalry lives on in the event's final race, a fixture on the last Sunday of June for over thirty years.
Street performers and encampments
The beating heart of the festival is its street performers: jesters, acrobats, stilt-walkers, magicians, musicians, theater troupes, fire-eaters, and knights bring the streets to life with traveling shows. In Piazza Duomo, the Giullari del Carretto encampment comes to life with workshops and activities for children and families, while along Via Porsenna and in the squares, performances, tarot readings, and combat demonstrations by arms companies follow one another.
The district taverns
Gastronomy deserves its own chapter: the district taverns offer traditional Tuscan dishes and lake cuisine, from hand-rolled pici to fireplace-cooked specialties and fish from the nearby Lake Chiusi. At the Parco dei Forti, you will find a medieval tavern and the Taberna Ippogin, meeting points open until late at night, animated on Friday and Saturday evenings by musical sets for younger audiences.
The Palio delle Torri, the grand finale
The final Sunday is the highlight: in the late afternoon, the Rectory Procession and performances by flag-wavers and drummers open the ceremony, followed by the Palio delle Torri, the historic race where the three districts compete to the very last meter for victory. It is the symbolic moment of the entire event, drawing residents and visitors from all over Tuscany and beyond.
A festival of identity
Over the years, Tria Turris has established itself as an event with a strong identity, successfully combining historical re-enactment, entertainment, and popular participation. The event is now one of the most anticipated appointments of the Chiusi summer and an opportunity to discover the Municipality of Chiusi and its extraordinary Etruscan and medieval heritage in the context of Tuscany.
Tria Turris — edition 2026
Tria Turris 2026: the fifteenth edition
The 2026 edition of Tria Turris is held in Chiusi from June 25 to 28. The preview is scheduled for Thursday, June 25, at 8:30 PM with a night-time historical procession in honor of Santa Mustiola, the patron saint of Chiusi. From Friday, June 26, to Sunday, June 28, the historic center comes alive with encampments, medieval markets, district taverns, and traveling shows featuring jesters, acrobats, flag-wavers, drummers, and arms companies. The Giullari del Carretto encampment returns to Piazza Duomo with workshops for children and families.
The grand finale: the 35th Palio delle Torri
The highlight is Sunday, June 28: at 6:00 PM, the Rectory Procession and performances by flag-wavers and drummers open the ceremony, followed at 6:30 PM by the 35th Palio delle Torri, the challenge between the Santa Maria, Sant'Angelo, and San Silvestro districts. The event is organized by the Associazione Terzieri Città di Chiusi.
Programme Tria Turris 2026
2026 Program
- Thursday, June 25, 8:30 PM — Preview: night-time historical procession in honor of Santa Mustiola, patron saint of Chiusi.
- From Friday, June 26 — The historic center transforms into a medieval village: Giullari del Carretto encampment in Piazza Duomo with workshops and activities for children and families; street performers along Via Porsenna; performances in the squares; encampment and combat demonstrations by arms companies at Santa Maria Novella.
- Friday, June 26 and Saturday, June 27, evening — District taverns at Parco dei Forti (medieval tavern and Taberna Ippogin) with Tuscan and lake cuisine; evening musical sets.
- Sunday, June 28, 6:00 PM — Rectory Procession and performances by flag-wavers and drummers.
- Sunday, June 28, 6:30 PM — 35th Palio delle Torri: the historic race between the three districts.
Highlights Tria Turris 2026
- 35th Palio delle Torri between the Santa Maria, Sant'Angelo, and San Silvestro districts (Sunday, June 28)
- Night-time historical procession in honor of Santa Mustiola (preview on June 25)
- Giullari del Carretto encampment in Piazza Duomo with workshops for children
- Street performers: jesters, acrobats, fire-eaters, magicians, knights
- District taverns with hand-rolled pici, fireplace specialties, and lake fish
Prices Tria Turris 2026
Practical information — Tria Turris
How to get there
By car: Chiusi is accessible from the A1 Milan-Naples motorway, taking the Chiusi-Chianciano Terme exit, just a few minutes from the historic center. By train: the Chiusi-Chianciano Terme station is on the Florence-Rome line, connected to the historic center (Chiusi town, on the hill) by shuttle buses and taxis.
When
The event takes place at the end of June over four days, with the Palio delle Torri held on the final Sunday.
Tips
The shows are held in the historic center, mostly outdoors: comfortable shoes are recommended for the cobblestone alleys. The district taverns are very busy in the evening; it is best to arrive early. For the Sunday Palio delle Torri, it is advisable to find a spot along the route well in advance.
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Where does it take place — Tria Turris
Centro storico di Chiusi