Territorium

The Bando di Violante di Baviera from 1730 determined the division of the city of Siena into 17 Contrade. People referred to buildings and their owners instead of the streets (as they do now). The document is still seen today as the basis on which the actual boundaries of the districts were determined.

Today, the following streets are part of the area’s territory:

• via Cecco Angiolieri
• via del Moro (part between Piazza Tolomei and via Sallustio Bandini)
• via del Refe Nero (part)
• via dei Rossi (part between Banchi di Sopra and via del Refe Nero)
• vicolo al Vento
• via San Vigilio (part)
• Banchi di Sopra (part)
• Banchi di Sotto (part)
• vicolo di Pier Pettinaio
• vicolo della Torre
• vicolo del Coltellinaio
• via Sallustio Bandini (part)
• via delle Terme (part)
• via delle Donzelle
• vicolo dei Rinuccini
• vicolo del Viscione
• via di Calzoleria
• vicolo dei Pollaioli
• via Rinaldini (part)
• vicolo di San Paolovicolo di San Pietro
• via di Città (part)
• via dei Termini (part)
• vicolo dei Borsellai
• via dei Pontani (part)
• piazza Tolomei
• piazza dell’Indipendenza (part of the adjacent street to via dei Termini)
• costarella dei Barbieri (part)
• vicolo del Castellare

The former territory of the extinct Contrada dell’Orso is also included in the area of Civetta. The coat of arms of Orso is visible in some flags of Civetta and in the Comparsa of the Corteo Storico.

The Contrada dell’Orso contained the following streets in Siena: piazza Tolomei, Banchi di Sopra to the Arco dei Rossi, via dei Termini, piazza dell’Indipendenza, via delle Terme, via di Città, Banchi di Sopra to Piazza Tolomei.
The streets of the neighborhood were divided among Civetta, Oca and Selva.

In addition, the territory of the extinct district Contrada del Gallo is also included in the territory of Civetta. The Contrada contained the following streets in Siena: Costarella dei Barbieri, via di Fontebranda (until via di Città), piazza dell’Indipendenza, via di Diacceto, via dei Pellegrini, via di Città to Chiasso del Bargello. The streets of the neighborhood were divided among Civetta, Oca and Selva.

History

Civetta was named Priora (Contrada della Civetta) because it organized the first meeting of the “Magistrato delle Contrada” in the Chiesa di San Cristoforo in 1905. They are therefore the only district with Priora in the title.

Civetta is by far the smallest neighborhood of the city.

Important locations and Festa Titolare

The Oratory of Civetta is the Chiesa di Sant’Antonio da Padova, located in via Cecco Angiolieri. The church is part of the castellare degli Ugurgieri, the headquarters of the neighborhood. The small inner square is the center of the neighborhood. Everything takes place in and around this square. You will find the community center, the museum, the fountain, but also the stable! The church was built in the 20th century but was only inaugurated in 1945 and put into use by the neighborhood. The Oratory of Tartuca is also dedicated to Sant’Antonio da Padova.

The baptismal fountain is, as said, also on castellare degli Ugurgieri. It was unveiled on September 25, 2005. The design is by Fabio Belleschi. It was put there for the occasion of the new headquarters of the neighborhood.

The Festa Titolare in honor of patron saint Sant’Antonio da Padova is celebrated on 13 June.

Civetta and the Palio

Civetta has 34 officially recognized victories. The last one dates from 16 August 2014, with Andrea Mari (Brio) on Occole ‘.

To date, Civetta has twice won a Cappotto, namely the first two ever won (1761 and 1778).

You can find all the drappelloni won here. The Numeri Unici are also online.

Anecdotes

In 2003 the documentary ‘The Last Victory’ was shot in the neighborhood by the Dutchman John Appel. You can find the documentary and watch it for free on Vimeo. In the documentary we meet Egidio, the 92-year-old nestor of the Civetta. A vital old man with the great desire to see his neighborhood win again before he dies. Like the rest of the neighborhood, Egidio has to wait until 2009, when he sees his beloved Civetta winning again at the age of 99. A few months later, in early 2010, he died.

Between the Palio of 16 August 2005 and that of 16 August 2009, Civetta was the ‘nonna’ of the city. With this it is meant to indicate that it was the unsaved neighborhood of the city of Siena (in this case since July 4, 1979). Afterwards Lupa took over this questionable honor.

The rivalry with Leocorno

The rivalry between the Civetta and Leocorno is a very recent one, which originated in the late fifties, and officially became in 1960. The cause are disputes around borders.

Drappellone and Numeri Unici can be found on pages on our Dutch website (pages will open in new tab) :

• Drappellone
• Numeri Unici

• Since July 2, 1775, 483 fantini debuted on the Piazza
• In 1928, no less than 9 fantini debuted (in 3 courses).
• 21 fantini won their debut.

• Chiocciola had 26 fantini debuting since 1775
• Non of them won on their debute
• The longest period without a debutant is 27 jaar : 2/7/1923-16/8/1958

Below you will find events that have never happened before and that cause some kind of superstition in the contradaioli. MAI or never is of course a relative term. The further we go back in time, the less data is stored and the more uncertain we become.

Civetta has never :

1. won participating together with Lupa and Nicchio
2. won in july riding together with Lupa, Pantera of Tartuca
3. won when they were selected as 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 6th or 8th (estrazione)
4. won from position 3, 5 or 8 at the start
5. won when they were at the start next to Bruco or Chiocciola of Giraffa or Istrice or Lupa or Oca
6. won a July palio after being extracted together with Aquila of Chiocciola of Drago of Giraffa of Leocorno of Lupa of Oca of Onda of Pantera of Tartuca of Torre of Valdimontone
7. won an August palio after being extracted together with Aquila or Chiocciola or Giraffa or Lupa or Oca or Onda or Pantera or Selva or Tartuca or Valdimontone
8. won a palio alla romana
9. won a palio with cavalli scossi
10. won a palio  with Tartuca as rincorsa