Lupa

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Lupa
Summary
ColorsWhite and black with orange band
SymbolWolf
TerzoTerzo di Camollìa
HeadquartersVia Vallerozzi 63
MuseumVia Vallerozzi 63
ClubhouseSocietà “Romolo e Remo”, Via Pian d’Ovile
ContradaioliLupaioli
OratoryOratorio di San Rocco
Paitron SaintSan Rocco (16 august)
Allied contradeIstrice (dal 1934)
Allied contradenone
Victories38 officially recognized
Websitehttp://www.contradadellalupa.it
Info
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 Vallerozzi (part)
  • via dell’Abbadia (part)
  • via Montanini (part)
  • via Garibaldi (part)
  • piazza del Sale
  • via della Stufa Secca
  • Pian d’Ovile
  • via di Fontenuova
  • piazza dell’Abbadia (part)
  • piazza Salimbeni (part)
  • vicolo di Borgo Franco
  • vicolo del Lavatoio
Geschiedenis

The Lupa district is closely linked to the city of Rome because of the presence of the wolf with Romulus and Remo in their coat of arms.

Important locations and Festa Titolare
Lupa 1

The Oratory of Lupa, Oratorio di San Rocco, was built in 1511. In 1789 the district became the owner of the church. In front of the building is a she-wolf, donated by the City of Rome. Next to the chapel we find the museum of the neighborhood.

The baptismal fountain is in front of the Oratory and was designed in 1962 by Emilio Montagnani.

The Festa Titolare in honor of San Rocco is celebrated on August 16. The festivities take place on the first Sunday after the Palio of 16 August.

Lupa and the Palio

Lupa has 38 wins. The last one dates from 17 August 2024 when Velluto won on Benitos.

Lupa won two Cappotti, in 1785 and 2016.

After the victory of Civetta on August 16, 2009, Lupa received the title of “Nonna” from Civetta. Until 2 July 2016, they were the contrada that waited the longest for a victory. On July 2, 2016, this questionable honor went to Aquila.

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

Anecdotes

In the 1930s, Aquila, Drago, Lupa and Valdimontone had, following the T.O.NO., a small alliance created under the name “Piccola Quadruplice”. The four contrade embarked on a remarkable series of victories. In 5 years they won no less than 5 out of 10 races. Larger neighborhoods saw this success and wanted to share. Torre, at that time “nonna” saw an opportunity here.

For the Palio of July 1937, everything was prepared to allow Torre to win. Aquila, Drago and Lupa walked along and were convinced. But on June 29, Torre drew Rondinella, a horse that was much weaker than Ruello who went to rival Onda. Of the 4 neighborhoods from Piccola Quadrilupe only Lupa was lucky with Folco. However, Torre was convinced that it would work and did not want to change the strategy. However Torre was so convinced of a new victory all other contrade found it suspicious. On the evening of July 1, Lupa decided to go for the win. Tripolino, the fantino, was not informed about the changed strategy.

Torre leads the way. But Tripolino on the much too strong Folco can easily catch up with him and win. The Torraili are furious and invade Lupa. There is heavy fighting and Libero Savelli, a contradaiolo from Torre, is killed.

Lupa 3

The two neighborhoods do not become enemies, although all the conditions to become it were present. In the years following this Palio, both neighborhoods lived side by side.

Rivalry with Istrice

Before the birth of their rivalry (1934), Istrice and Lupa were even deacons or allies. In the early 1930s some banal discussions arose around border areas. A dispute over a few meters could not be resolved. A committee was even set up to find a solution, but this did not work. An enmity was born.

In 1935, Lupa won in July, and Istrice in August, both at Ruello. In the Numeri Unici that were published later that year, cartoons about the other neighborhood were placed in both issues. The young enmity was incited and has since disappeared.

Lupa 2
Images
Drappelloni and Numeri Unici

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

Never happened

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.

Lupa has never :

  1. won riding together with Istrice and Selva, Nicchio and Selva, Oca and Torre.
  2. won in august when Oca participated
  3. won when they were selected as 1st, 3th, 5th or 8th (estrazione)
  4. won from 2nd, 5th, 7th or 8th at the start
  5. won when they were at the start next to Aquila or Chiocciola or Oca or Onda or Pantera or Tartuca
  6. won a palio when they were drawn together with Aquila or Chiocciola or Drago or Istrice or Oca or Onda or Selva or Torre

Last update : 10 august 2026