Masgalano

The Masgalano is a silver bowl weighing about 1,000 grams or, in exceptional cases, it may instead consist of a piece of art. In both cases, the Masgalano must depict symbols referring to the City, the Palio, as well as the coats of arms of the Municipality, the “Magistrato delle Contrade”, and the “Comitato Amici del Palio”, it may also refer to particular city events.

The Masgalano is put up as a prize by the municipal administration and can be offered by public bodies, Sienese associations or other institutions whose role or function is particularly linked to the history of the city. The name, Masgalano, derives from the Spanish mas “more” and galante “elegant”; indeed, the bowl is awarded to the Contrada whose comparsa has excelled in elegance, dignity of bearing and coordination. The criteria included in the evaluation are the aesthetic aspect of the costumes, the behaviour of the participants, and the skill of the flag bearers (alfieri) and of the drummer (tamburino); for this reason each flag display (sbandierata) is given a score. At the end, the scores of the July and August Palii are added up, and the comparsa with the highest total wins.

The prize is awarded by a jury made up of representatives of the Comitato Amici del Palio (Friends of the Palio Committee), whose members are appointed two by two by each of the 17 Contrade from among their former alfieri and tamburini di Piazza (the flag bearers and drummers who performed in the Piazza).

The Contrada del Drago boasts eight victories: 1951, 1959 (ex aequo with the Nobile Contrada del Nicchio), 1967, 1973, 1987, 1991, 2008, 2017 (ex aequo with the Nobile Contrada dell’Oca).