In the historical procession of the Bagno a Ripoli Palio amongst nobles, halberds, musicians, archers, knights and ladies stands the figure of the Bianca Cappello wearing a precious blue dress with braids in gold and pearls accompanied by the Grand Duke Francesco I Medici with a cloak lined with ermine.
Such public performances take us back to the seventies of the sixteenth century when a relationship between the two could no longer be hidden. In 1570 the husband of the beautiful Bianca Cappello had purchased (with the money of the Grand Duke!) Villa La Tana in Candeli and had been murdered only two years later. The Grand Duke became a widower in 1578. Finally free, the two lovers were married in 1579, but for six years had met in La Tana: a refuge on the ‘temperate and pleasant hill of the beautiful Rimaggio […] the hidden place where every delight, where every pleasure encloses itself in safe place without the disturbing hassles of any part.”
After four hundred years, in 1980, the ripolese historian Fabio Del Bravo had the idea of organizing a Palio in Bagno a Ripoli and set it in the late sixteenth century. So the guests of honor of the festival could only be no other than Bianca and Francesco.
Now for the past 36 uninterrupted years – on every second Sunday of September – a Renaissance atmosphere is created around these two characters, evoked in the parade and in sporting and cultural events that reconstruct the life time with the nobles of the land in their rich costumes, peasants exhibiting the animals and the products of the land, flag-wavers who circle their flags in the air and musicians with trumpets and drums that accompany the dances of ladies and knights.
In addition to the various games of the Palio, the Giostra della Stella was added in 1986, disputed by the districts in the area: Bishop (Pieve), Horse (Baroncelli), Mill (Candeli) and Tower (Quarto). Once the horses have been launched at full speed, riders attempt to lance a star – hanging on a shape of a lion rampant – with a sword in a hole, the diameter of which is progressively closer.
The herald auctioneer has been played by Sergio Forconi for many years while, since the first edition, the prize to the winning district has been given by well-known painters among whom we remember Campeggi, Curandai, Smorti and Vangi. In 2015 the work is from the internationally renowned ripolese artist Marcello Guasti.
Massimo Casprini
