Summary
ColorsYellow and green with a blue band
SymboolCaterpillar
TerzoTerzo di Camollìa
HeadquartersVia del Comune 44
MuseumVia del Comune 44
ClubhouseL’Alba, via del Comune 44
ContradaioliBrucaioli
OratorySantissimo Nome di Gesù
Paitron saintVisitazione di Maria Vergine (2 juli)
Enemie(s)Giraffa (dal 1945 al 1996)
Allied contradeChiocciola (dal 1905 al 2002)
Istrice (dal 1665)
Leocorno (dal 1937 al 1995)
Lupa (fino al 1963)
Nicchio
Torre (dal 1912)
Victories37 officially recognized
Websitehttp://www.nobilcontradadelbruco.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:

  • piazza dell’Abbadia (part, including chiesa di San Donato ai Montanini)
  • piazza San Francesco (side street until chiesa della Compagnia di San Gherardo)
  • via Dei Rossi
  • via Vallerozzi (part)
  • Banchi di Sopra (between via dei Rossi and piazza Salimbeni)
  • piazza Salimbeni (part)
  • via del Comune
  • via di Mezzo
  • via degli Orti
  • vicolo degli Orbachi
  • piazza d’Ovile
  • via dell’Abbadia (part)
History

The district has received the title of Nobile for the deployment of its military company against Carlo IV di Boemie in 1369. In addition, it was the Brucaioli (who at that time were seen as troublemakers against rich
masters and exploiters) who in 1371 led by Francesco di Angelo, better known as Barbicone, set in motion a popular uprising against the regime in the city. They wanted peace and bread. As a thank you for what he meant for the city and for the neighborhood, he is still the protector of the neighborhood.

Bruco 3
Important locations and Festa Titolare

The Oratory of Bruco is the Santissimo Nome di Gesù, located in via del Comune, just next to the headquarters. There are three different stories about the history and construction of the church. It is quite clear that the church was built by the residents of the neighborhood, with self-supplied and found stones. There are various hypotheses about the time of construction. What is certain is that this is one of the smallest neighborhood churches.

The baptismal fountain is actually a source (Source of San Franscesco) that was opened in 1513 under the Via dei Rossi. In 1978 it was restored and officially renamed the baptismal fountain of the Bruco district. We now recognize a bronze statue of Barbicone and the water flows through the mouth of a caterpillar.

Bruco 1

The Festa Titolare in honor of the Visitazione di Maria Vergine is celebrated on July 2. However, the Festa Titolare always takes place the first Sunday after the Palio of 2 July.

Bruco and the Palio
Bruco 4

Bruco has 37 wins. The last one dates from August 16, 2008 when Gingillo won with Elisir Logudoro.

Bruco won a Cappotto in 1842 when Figlio di Bonino won twice with morello del Riccucci.

Bruco had little luck in the 20th century. After the very successful 19th century with no less than 16 victories, they could only celebrate 5x in the 20th century. However, the century began ‘normally’ with 3 victories out of 22 years. To win roughly 7 years is considered normal in Siena. After that, however, it went downhill. First they had to wait 33 years, until 1955, for a new victory. Then Bruco proved that things can be worse. Only 41 years later, Bruco won again, in 1996. Since 2000, it has already won 3 times and is back on track.

Anecdotes

Bruco was the first neighborhood to choose a foreign jockey. It happened on July 2, 1927: Bruco was assigned a mediocre to poor horse. The captain decided to give Pere Golon, a young Libyan, a chance. The young market squatter was nicknamed Ali. Ali used to ride a horse without a saddle, but it soon became apparent that the Palio was something else. After the first prova, he was taken to the hospital. Ali’s adventure seemed over. But he could count on so much sympathy from the contradaioli. They asked and received refusal not to drive the others so that Ali could recover. He was instructed to prevent Nicchio from winning. He even wanted to go so far as to use a knife during the race. Fortunately it did not come to that. His course was one to forget very quickly, but he did write history.

A district without rivals

Like many others, Giraffa and Bruco were rivals due to disputes around the neighborhood’s borders. Everything was settled in 1996 after the victory of Bruco after 41 years of waiting …

Despite the fact that the cessation of enmity was even made official, there is still hatred towards the other, especially with older contradaioli. In addition, Bruco has no official report or contact with Oca. So after a victory they never visit each other as tradition dictates. However, there is no rivalry.

Bruco 2

Victories
1

02/07/1653
Pavolino
?

2

02/07/1672
Pavolino
stornello

3

02/07/1681
Granchio
?

4

06/06/1683
Monco
?

5

02/07/1687
Strega
?

6

02/07/1694
Pavolino
Ballarino

7

02/07/1711
Pelliccino
baio

8

02/07/1720
Romano
morello del Paci

9

02/07/1736
Cerrino
baio stellato del Mascagni

10

02/04/1739
Pettinaio
leardo

11

16/08/1763
Bastiancino
baio del Falorsi

12

16/08/1791
Dorino
baio chiarro del Baldini

13

02/07/1792
Dorino
morello del Fontani

14

02/07/1814
Piaccina
Rondinello

15

02/07/1816
Ciano
baio scuro del Pagliari

16

02/07/1818
Ciano
baio scuro del Pagliari

17

02/07/1826
Piaccina
stornello pallottato del Brandani

18

16/08/1836
Gobbo Saragiolo
baio scuro del Soldatini

19

16/08/1837
Gobbo Saragiolo
morello stella in fronte del Ceccarelli

20

02/07/1838
Storto
baio del Berbetti

21

03/07/1842
Figlio di Bonino
morello del Riccucci

22

17/08/1842
Figlio di Bonino
morello del Riccucci

23

04/07/1847
Figlio di Bonino
morello maltinto del Buonsignori

24

03/07/1870
Bachicche
cavezza di moro del Grandi

25

02/07/1872
Pilesse
storno del Grandi

26

16/08/1876
Girocche
baio scurro dell’Amaddii

27

16/08/1884
Boggione
Farfallina

28

19/08/1894
Fiammifero
Belfortina

29

16/08/1896
Fiammifero
baia stella in fronte del Vallesi

30

16/08/1907
Popo
Gobba

31

02/07/1912
Nappa
Farfalla

32

16/08/1922
Cispa
Fanfara

33

02/07/1955
Ciancone
Sturla

34

16/08/1996
Cianchino
Rose Rosa

35

16/08/2003
Trecciolino
Berio

36

02/07/2005
Trecciolino
Berio

37

16/08/2008
Gingillo
Elisir Logudoro


Images

Drappelloni and Numeri Unici

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


Debuting fantini
  • 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.
  • Bruco had 31 fantini debut since 1775
  • None of them won on their debut
  • The longest period without a debutant is 19 years : 16/8/1815-17/8/1834
1Begnamino16/8/1779
2Groppasecca I2/7/1784
3Polpettino2/7/1797
4Moscadello8/9/1803
5Domenico2/7/1805
6Fratello di Botto16/8/1809
7Ragazzo Pisano16/8/1815
8Diavoletto17/8/1834
9Budello18/8/1842
10Natalino2/7/1849
11Piacera15/8/1856
12Mecarello2/6/1861
13Marzialetto15/8/1864
14Rocco16/8/1868
15Nula16/8/1875
16Tabarre2/7/1885
17Scio’16/8/1892
18Martellino II3/7/1898
19Magnelli Nello3/7/1904
20Salvucci Settimio16/8/1911
21Ali’2/7/1927
22Morino III14/9/1928
23Fildiferro I2/7/1947
24Ghisa16/8/1948
25Granatino16/8/1951
26Aceto2/7/1964
27Baino2/7/1967
28Marasma18/8/1976
29Voragine2/7/1995
30Ciclone3/7/1997
31Gingillo16/8/2002

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.

Bruco has never :

  1. won when they rode together with Chiocciola and Drago, Drago and Leocorno, Drago and Lupa, Giraffa and Valdimontone, Istrice and Valdimontone, Leocorno and Valdimontone, Lupa and Selva
  2. won in July when Valdimontone also rode
  3. won when they were selected as 2nd, 3th, 4th or 9th (estrazione)
  4. won from position 2, 5 or 8 at the start
  5. won when they were at the start next to Drago, Istrice, Leocorno, Lupa, Oca, Pantera, Torre or Valdimontone
  6. een palio gewonnen wanneer ze uitgeloot werden samen met Aquila, Chiocciola, Civetta, Giraffa, Istrice, Nicchio, Oca, Pantera, Selva of Tartuca
  7. won a palio when they were drawn together with Drago, Leocorno of Valdimontone
  8. won a palio in august when estracted together with Torre
  9. won a palio with cavalli scossi
  10. won a palio with Chiocciola of Leocorno as rincorsa
Last update : 18 november 2019