The
Palio of this town is a very hard race where horses are mounted
without the saddle, and it dates back to 1275, when Asti, a powerful
and indipendent Commune, was universally renowned for its enterprising
merchants and its experienced bankers.
Twenty-one
steeds each representing a district or a commune, one thousand
and two hundred people dressed in Medieval clothes and many inhabitants
of the surrounding districts take part in the representation every
third Sunday of September, involving the public in the recalling
of an ancient and impressive atmosphere.
