The contrade of Legnano are the eight historical subdivisions into which the city of Legnano, in Lombardy, in Italy, is divided. They participate annually in the Palio di Legnano.
Generality The active contrade
The eight contrade of Legnano, whose mottos were introduced in 1955,Ferrarini, p. 178. are:
Contrada La Flora: "let seed be virtue, victory be flower" Contrada Legnarello: "alone in the Sun"; Contrada San Bernardino: "the bridge links virtue to glory"; Contrada San Domenico: "in the green hope"; Contrada San Magno: "not always winners, but always first"; Contrada San Martino: "to the end"; Contrada Sant'Ambrogio: "they hate me, as long as they fear me"; Contrada Sant'Erasmo: "love and splendor in battle on the hill thanks to the crow".
The antagonism and the competition between the contrade are very much felt, with a strong collegiate component and particularly in the period of the year in which the PalioFerrarini, p. 177.D'Ilario, 2000, p. 6. is organized, without prejudice to the mutual respect that leads to mutual aid in the organization of the event as in the case, for example, of the frequent exchanges of the material used in the parade.D'Ilario, 1984, p. 337. To avoid the pranks, which are frequent near the date of the Palio, the horses participating in the horse race, the night before the latter, are hidden in a secret place and cared for by the Contrada members.Autori vari, p. 190.
There are two contrade in Milan that have an additional title in the name; San Magno also has the term "noble" in its name, which derives from the territory of the contrada, which includes the historic center of Legnano, and from the fact that since ancient times, within the confines of the contrada, there are several families of noble lineage, while La Flora has as title "sovereign", attribution that was officially granted by the House of Savoy, ruling dynasty in Italy from 1861 to 1946.
The contrade suppressed Contrada Olmina Contrada Ponzella
In the first years in which the Palio of Legnano was disputed there were also the Contrada Ponzella and the Contrada Olmina, which were incorporated, respectively, by San Bernardino and La Flora (in 1936), and by Legnarello (in 1937); they were merged in the 1930s because at the time the neighborhoods to which they referred were not very inhabited, and therefore had difficulty in financially supporting the participation in the Palio.Autori vari, p. 126.
The banners of the two suppressed contrade still participate in the historical parade of the Palio of Legnano; in particular, they follow the banner of the contrade to which they have been annexed, supplies of their armed escort. The two suppressed contrade had no motto: the latter were in fact introduced in 1955, three years after the suppression of these contrade.
The manors
The contrade are located in the so-called "manors"; sometimes the manors, which are the property of the contrade, are housed in ancient Lombard courts, that is to say in buildings particularly linked to the territory, especially to that of the historical contrada of which they are the seat. At the center of the contrada there is the hall of honor, which is furnished in medieval style.Autori vari, p. 193.
The manors are places open to all that host the meetings and activities of the contrada.D'Ilario, 2000, p. 6.D'Ilario, 1984, p. 343. The various rooms preserve the costumes of the past and present, while weapons and flags are placed in the racks installed on the walls; the display cases instead house the jewels and ornaments during the parade, as well as the gifts received by the contrade over time. Inside the contrada there is also the documentary archive of the contrada. The contrade are often the destination for school trips, during which students can immerse themselves in the medieval atmosphere.
The organization and the regency
Each of the eight contrade of Legnano has a regency formed by a "captain", a "great prior" and a "chatelaine". The captain of the contrada is the one who represents the contrada on all official occasions and has the task of choosing the jockey and the horse participating in the horse race. In all official ceremonies he wears a white cloak and as a distinctive sign he has a patent parchment.Autori vari, p. 192. The captain, depending on the contrada, can be elected by the general assembly or by its members.Autori vari, p. 191.
The function of grand prior, which was established in 1971, has the function of assisting the captain in his duties. He is also the legal representative of the contrada and checks that the status of the contrada is applied. The grand prior, in all official ceremonies, wears a black cloak, while as a distinctive sign he has a shield with cross-shaped features and a parchment. Next to the great prior is his deputy, who takes his place in his absence.
The chatelaine, like the captain and the great prior, has a representative role in official ceremonies and has the task of participating in the organization of the contests in the contrada. The chatelaine, who are helped in their job by the great ladies, are united in the association "Oratorio delle castellane", which also unites the most non-regent chatelaine. The chatelaine, in all official ceremonies, wears a red cloak, while as a distinctive sign she has a medal and a parchment.
Another important office of the contrada is the squire, who helps the captain in the performance of his duties. The squire can also supply the captain in the events organized by the contrada and as a distinctive sign he has a shield with cross-shaped features.
All the official ceremonies of the Palio are organized and cared for by the masters of ceremonies of the College of captains and contrade.
The captains are gathered in the College of captains and contrade, whose function is to coordinate the activities, actions and intentions of the same. This College was born in 1955,Ferrarini, p. 183. is located inside the Visconteo Castle of Legnano and is presided over by the grand master of the captains' college, who is elected every two years. On the occasion of the elections, which take place in a social assembly called "session", his deputy, the directors of the executive, the auditors and the arbitrators are also voted. Other functions of the college of captains are the preservation of the traditions of Legnano and its contrade. The college has as its official banner a white-red banner (colors of the municipal coat of arms of Legnano) bearing the cross of Aribert and the coats of arms of the contrade.
The activities
During the year the contrade organize parties, cultural and historical events, as well as folklore and charity events.Ferrarini, p. 177. In the first decades of existence of the event, the manors were frequented only during the month preceding the Palio, but with the passing of the years the activities of the contrade experienced a constant phase of growth that led the historical contrade to diversify the initiatives, with the organization of the latter taking place throughout the year. The contrade have often been protagonists, even financially, in the restoration of historic buildings in the contrada, such as the churches to which the contrade refer.Autori vari, p. 196.
The activities of the contrade are manifold.Autori vari, p. 194. They range from periodicals to publications, to the preparation of popular festivals such as the grape festival, horse, bread, etc., as well as the organization of antique markets, dance classes, embroidery, ceramics, painting and preparation of ski competitions, soccer and table football tournaments.
Conferences and evenings are then organized focusing on history, poetry, dance and music, as well as concerts and charity events. The contrade of Legnano also operate in the social context, helping the disabled, families in difficulty and the elderly hospitalized in the centers of the area, to which they also provide moral support by making periodic visits.
Of great attraction is the propitiatory dinner on the eve, which is organized the evening before the Palio and which is greeted by the contrada decked out for a party, attended by hundreds of Contrada members and the jockey who will race the horse race. In the first editions of the event the dinner on the eve was the prerogative of the jockey and the elders of the contrada: only later was it decided to open the participation to all the volunteers that revolve around the contrada; the latter, on the eve of dinner, wear scarves from their own contrada.Autori vari, p. 197. Sometimes at the dinner on the eve there is also, in an enclosure, also the horse that will race the next horse race.
The eight contrade La Flora
It has a total of 9 victories in the Palio di Legnano. It is located in the "Oltre Stazione" area (i.e. west of the Domodossola–Milan railway), to the north-west of the city. Legend has it that the contrada owes its name to the joyful exultation of the women of the neighborhood after the battle of Legnano. After the victory, with the passage of the Lombard League, the contradaiole of La Flora would have thrown flowers at the feet of the soldiers, hence the name of the contrada.
According to this tradition, the red color symbolizes the blood of Lombard soldiers while the blue one symbolizes military glory. The meaning that today is associated with the colors of the contrada is instead the following: red indicates courage, ardor, strength and tenacity, while blue chivalrous loyalty.
Another popular legend tells that Frederick Barbarossa was defeated in the battle of Legnano due to a glittering cross shown by the goddess Flora, who frightened the emperor and forced him to flee. The goddess Flora is very present in the popular beliefs of the place: according to tradition this mythological figure appeared every year in early spring to scatter flowers on the fields of the contrada.Autori vari, p. 177. On one occasion it appeared late and spread, on the lawns of the contrada, blue cornflowers and red poppies, whose flowers bloom in summer. These colors then became representative of the contrada.
Legnarello
It has a total of 11 victories in the Palio di Legnano. It is located in the area beyond the strada statale del Sempione, to the north-east of the city. Legnarello's colors and banner are linked to a legend and a historical fact. Both explanations can be traced back to the Spanish rule over the Duchy of Milan, during which Legnanello became a noble quarter inhabited by Spanish nobles. Red and yellow, in addition to the colors of Legnarello, are also the Spanish national colors.
The legend tells that the hidalgo don Pedro de Torquemada, living in Legnarello, used to wear half-red and half-yellow clothes in combat. Despite the high visibility of the garments, his enemies never managed to hit him and so the Spanish nobleman decided to hoist a red flag with a yellow sun on his house, symbols that were then taken over by the Legnarello contrada.
The historical fact is instead connected to Donna Consuelo of the Melzi D'Eril; the Spanish noblewoman died of plague in 1621, and as a legacy she established that in her home in Legnanello the yellow-red banners of the governor of Córdoba, Spain, should have been kept. These signs then became the symbol of the Contrada Legnarello.
San Bernardino
It has a total of 9 victories in the Palio di Legnano.