The Palio of San Ranieri is an event of historical reenactment that is part of the traditions of the history and identity of Pisa and is one of the main events of Giugno Pisano.
The municipal administration organizes on June 17, on the occasion of the Feast of the Patron Saint Ranieri, a rowing Palio that takes place on the waters of the river Arno between four boats, which are reminiscent of the ancient "Galere Stefaniane", frigate of the Order of the Knights of Saint Stephen. The historical re-enactment takes its origins from the Palio in honor of the patron conceived and promoted in 1935 by the local ENAL section. The reenactment event is placed chronologically in the sixteenth century, during the Battle of Lepanto on 7 October 1571.
The race is held in Arno on a course of 1,500 meters, upstream, by boats matched to the four historic districts of the city: San Francesco with yellow color, San Martino with red, Santa Maria with blue and Sant'Antonio with green. Each crew consists of eight rowers, a helmsman and an "assembler". The latter must climb a flagpole ten meters high, placed at the finish on a floating platform and retrieve the flag that symbolizes the conquest of the "Paliotto". Two (symbolic) papers, on the other hand, represent the less coveted recognition for the last placed.
For the feast of the patron saint, in addition to the Palio, there will also be the traditional fair, which runs all day on Tuesday 17 June in Piazza dei Cavalieri and as far as Via Santa Maria.
To know the complete calendar of Giugno Pisano:
https://www.turismo.pisa.it/en/eventi/giugno-pisano-2025
The programme.
At 6 p.m. the river procession is scheduled to depart from the Cittadella Bridge and arrive near the Scalo Renaioli.
At 6.30 p.m. the draw for the water lanes and at 7 p.m. the start of the competition.
At 7.30 p.m., finally, at the Scalo dei Renaioli, the Palio award ceremony.
Traffic modifications: https://www.comune.pisa.it/Novita/Comunicati/Palio-di-San-Ranieri-martedi-17-sfida-sull-Arno-tra-i-quartieri-della-citta
