The Palio of St. Rufino is an impressive historic re-enactment rooted back in the Middle Ages. It consists of a challenge with crossbows between the three mediaeval districts, the “Terzieri”.
The Palio of San Rufino is an event that is deep-rooted in ancient traditions and first documented in the town in the 13th century.
Troops of crossbow archers already existed in the town in 1112 and a statue dating back to the late 13th century reveals that the crossbows and arms of the Commune were decorated with Assisi’s coat of arms, a rampant Lion and s Cross and the new Palazzo Comunale (Town Hall) also bore the same emblems.
There are many documents that tell us of how crossbow competitions in the Middle Ages were often used to practice and perfect their shooting skills.
This tradition is still contested every last Friday, Saturday and Sunday in August with the Palio of San Rufino, which is not only a real crossbow shooting competition, but also an impressive, readapted, historic re-enactment of that period in the town streets.
The mediaeval market in Piazza del Comune, mentioned in some documents as a town fair even at the time of St. Francis, and the propitiatory dinner on the Saturday evening are living proof.
The competition consists of a team challenge between the “Terzieri” of the town, San Francesco, San Rufino and Santa Maria, in which they have to hit a target 36 metres away and the points of the individual arbalesters are added up to achieve the highest score.
The victory of the winning team is marked by awarding the Palio, a banner hand-painted by a different, nationally famous artist every year.
The medieval market in Piazza del Comune, mentioned in some documents as a town fair even in the time of Francis, and the propitiatory dinner on Saturday night are a vivid testimony to this.
The competition consists of a team challenge between the town’s terzieri, San Francesco, San Rufino and Santa Maria, who, having to hit a target 36 meters away, try to achieve the highest score by adding up the points of the individual crossbowmen.
The victory of the winning team will be sanctioned by the awarding of the Palio, a hand-painted banner each year by a different nationally renowned artist.
