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The
Regatta of Saint Ranieri
June 17 2004
During
the afternoon of June 17th, to celebrate the patron saint of Pisa, four
boats representing the most ancient districts of the city (the city is
divided into four sections ideally outlined by the river Arno and by the
two main streets) compete in a Regatta along the Arno river, heritage of
the past glory of Pisa as an ancient maritime republic. |
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Each
district is distinguished by its own colours: in the southern part of the city
Saint Martin (white and red) and Saint Anthony (white and green); in the
northern part Saint Mary (white and blue) and Saint Francis (white and yellow).
This event mixes the genuine sporting passion typical of the competitive spirit
and the ancient and popular tradition of boat-racing.
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The
Regatta di Saint Ranieri dates back to the traditional contests which were held
in Pisa to celebrate the feast of the Assumption (15th August) since the Middle
Ages. Ancient documents bring evidence to the fact that the prize for the
winner, for competitions either on land or in water, was not only a banner, but
also animals such as an ox, a ram, a pig, a cockerel and a gosling for the loser.
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In
addition to the contests for the Assumption and for Saint Ranieri, there were
other events celebrated with similar competitions.
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After
the city fall under the Florentine domination (1406) the Regatta was
held only from time to time: in1440, to celebrates Florence’s victory
over Milan at Anghiari an unforgettable regatta was held; and in 1494,
to welcome the promise of freedom from Florence given by Carlo VIII.
After Florence’s definitive conquest of Pisa in 1509 the event was
abolished until 1635. In 1718 for the first time the boats raced to
celebrate Saint Ranieri and not the Assumption. Since 1737 the finishing
line of the Regatta, now known as Saint Ranieri’s, was set in the
stretch of the river in front of Palazzo Medici, on request of the Duke
of Montelimar, who was a guest in one of the palaces of that area. |
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The
boats in use today have fixed seats with eight oarsmen, a steersman and
a climber. |
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Their
structure is similar to the typical frigates of the Medicean Order of
Knights of Saint Stephen. In fact, the hulls built in 1935, when the
contest was revived, reproduced in smaller scale the narrow frigate-like
galleys of the Order of Knights of Saint Stephen, which had side
rowlocks according to tradition. The boats were made in wood, 11 metres
long, 2.20 metres wide and 700 in weight; their oars were 4.60 metres
long and weighed 18 kilos. They were used until 1984 when they were
replaced with lighter and faster ones, made of fibre-glass. |
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The
distance covered is 1500 metres starting upstream of the railway bridge
and finishing in front of the Palazzo Medici. In order to keep the
ancient contest traditions unchanged the contest has two peculiarities:
the presence of the climber and the opportunity for the steersman to
choose the best route. |
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A
few hundred meters after the start, the steersman may try to surpass the
other boats. For this reason the boats struggle right from the beginning
of the race, when the steersmen try to surpass immediately the competing
boats so as to move to the left side of the river where the counter
current is weaker, and to row in the inner and shorter part of the large
curve of the stretch of the Arno river close to the town. The
final victory does not depend upon the arrival order of the boats but
upon the climber’s skill, who after having boarded a boat anchored at
the finishing line, has to climb up one of the four cables reaching the
top of a ten-metre high mast hoisted on the boat in order to grasp the
banner which is the symbol of the victory. |
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In
fact, the victory depends on the colour of the triangular silk banner,
called ‘paliotto’, that the climber brings down: blue is first
place, white second, and red third place. A pair of goslings
represents the meagre prize for the last crew to finish. |
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The
catch of banner recalls the ancient exploits at Lepanto, when the
fleet of the Knights of Saint Stephen boarded the Turkish flagship and
stole the Muslim fight banner waiving on the mast of their boat. This banner is still nowadays kept in the Church of Saint
Stephen of the Knights in Pisa.
Written
by Ufficio Turismo Comune di Pisa
Translation
by Maria Vanzini
Photographs
by Renato Sandrini
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