Contradas

All of these big cities in Italy were states with their own governments. Within the state of Sienna there were 9 contradas (zones, family groups or tribes) (now seventeen). Each of these contradas lived in a certain part of the city and each had an animal, colors and flag. Each contrada also had a fountain where children were baptized into membership in the contrada. These contradas are still an important part of city life. Certain members of each contrada are part of the city government. We passed the bruco, caterpillar, contrada meeting house. They had a sign board out front with announcements of general activities, women's club meetings and a birth announcement of a new member of the contrada, Arianna Ruga. These traditions go back ~ two thousand years!

Sign and Flag

Fountain

Statue of woman looking at a caterpillar on a pomegranate opposite the fountain.

We are staying in the goose contrada and have seen the lupa (she wolf), and rhino contrada. I am sure we have walked near others but have not identified them. The she wolf with the twin sons of Remus is the symbol of Sienna. The myth is that the twins fled Rome and their uncle Romulus to found Sienna. On the back of their wolf foster mother I guess.

Statue of Lupa and Twins