"Palio delle Antiche Repubbliche Marinare"

There is an historical event that ties Venice to the other three Italian Maritime Republic, the Palio delle Antiche Repubbliche Marinare. The common aspect of these four port cites is that all of them were, in the past, the most important ports along the peninsula. The Palio is hosted, in turn, on the Lagoon in Venice, on the Arno in Pisa, in the Mediterranean at Amalfi and Genova. This boat race that commemorates memories and historical importance of these four Italian cities, is under the patronage of the President of the Italian Republic. Before the beginning of the competition, there is a great historical parade of almost 400 boats with members dressed in costumes.

The event in Venice

The historical pageant that is performed in Venice, proposes, as main episode, the donation made by the Queen of Cyprus, Caterina Cornaro, of Cyprus to the Serenissima. In the pageant parade the most important dignitaries of the Veneto Republic: the Doge, Senators, Ambassadors. The fleet is open by the Captain of the Sea. Another important event is remembered: the gift given in 1171 from Alessandro III to the Serenissima for thanking the important role it had as mediator between the Pope and the Empire. The gift was the vessillo di San Marco that is shown during the parade. After the solemn procession the race begins. Four boats, called “galleons” and marked by different colours and figureheads, represent the four Republics. To the winner team of the regatta is given a medial galleon that is offered the following year as the prize for the Regatta.