The Saracino Joust: Arezzo’s historic tournament
The Giostra del Saracino is the most important historic event in Arezzo and one of the best-known events in Tuscany. Twice a year, Piazza Grande becomes the center of a chivalric challenge that involves the entire city: festive districts, historic parades, knights, flags, drums and thousands of people gathering in the historic center to follow the competition.
The Giostra has its roots in the Middle Ages and is now a historical reenactment deeply felt by the people of Arezzo. The four city districts — Porta Crucifera, Porta del Foro, Porta Sant’Andrea and Porta Santo Spirito — compete by riding against the Buratto, the famous dummy representing the “King of the Indies”, to win the Lancia d’Oro.
During the days of the Giostra, Arezzo completely changes atmosphere. It is not only Piazza Grande that fills up: the whole historic center comes alive with trials, parades, propitiatory dinners and events organized by the districts. For this reason, staying in the center of Arezzo allows you to experience the event much more directly, moving comfortably on foot through the city streets. The B&B Antiche Mura is located precisely in this area, just a few minutes from Piazza Grande and the main places connected to the Giostra del Saracino.
Arezzo during the Saracino Joust
During the Giostra del Saracino, the historic center of Arezzo completely changes rhythm. It is not just about watching a competition in Piazza Grande: for several days the city is involved in events, parades and moments that transform the streets of the center into a setting linked to Arezzo’s historical tradition.
Here is what you can see during the days of the Giostra:
- Piazza Grande is prepared for the competition, with the packed-earth track, the stands and the Buratto positioned at the center of the challenge.
- The historic parade crosses the center of Arezzo, with hundreds of participants in medieval costume, including knights, ladies, men-at-arms and representatives of the districts.
- The districts bring the city to life for days, with flags on display, open headquarters, evening events and preparations for the competition.
- Drums, trumpets and flag-wavers accompany the event, creating an atmosphere recognizable throughout the historic center.
- The propitiatory dinners bring together hundreds of people, becoming one of the most heartfelt moments of the Giostra week.
- The competition in Piazza Grande is the culminating moment, when the jousters from the four districts ride against the Buratto to win the Lancia d’Oro.
In the next paragraphs, we will see where the Giostra takes place, when it is held and how one of Arezzo’s most important traditions works.
Piazza Grande: where the Saracino Joust takes place
The Giostra del Saracino takes place in Piazza Grande, the most famous historic square in Arezzo and one of the symbolic places of the city. This is where the lizza is set up, the packed-earth course along which the jousters launch their horses against the Buratto in an attempt to obtain the highest score.
In the days leading up to the Giostra, Piazza Grande completely changes appearance. The stands are assembled, the track is prepared and the Buratto is placed at the center of the competition. During the event, the square fills with spectators, district flags, musicians and figures in historic costume, becoming the true heart of the event.
The position of the square, in the very heart of Arezzo’s historic center, makes the whole area particularly lively during the week of the Giostra. Walking through the nearby streets, it is easy to come across parades, district supporters, flag-wavers rehearsing and venues full of people who have come to the city to attend the event.
For this very reason, staying in the historic center allows you to experience the Giostra in a more convenient and engaging way. The B&B Antiche Mura is just a few minutes on foot from Piazza Grande, in a practical position to easily reach both the competition and the events connected to the Giostra del Saracino.
When the Saracino Joust takes place
The Giostra del Saracino takes place twice a year in Arezzo and represents one of the most anticipated moments in the city calendar.
The first edition is held in June and is dedicated to San Donato, the patron saint of the city. Traditionally, it is held at night, with Piazza Grande illuminated and the historic center lively until late in the evening.
The second edition takes place in September and is dedicated to Madonna del Conforto. In this case the Giostra is run during the day, in a different but equally participatory atmosphere, with thousands of people present in the city to watch the competition.
In reality, the Giostra is not limited to the few hours of the challenge in Piazza Grande. Already in the days before, the jousters’ trials, the events organized by the districts and the traditional propitiatory dinners begin, involving much of Arezzo’s historic center.
For this reason, many visitors choose to stay in the city for at least a weekend, so they can experience not only the competition, but also the whole atmosphere that accompanies the week of the Giostra del Saracino.
The origins of the Saracino Joust (Giostra del Saracino)
The Giostra del Saracino has its origins in the Middle Ages, when chivalric competitions were used as military exercises to train knights in the use of the lance and mounted combat. In Arezzo there are historical records of tournaments and jousts as early as the 13th century, a sign of a tradition deeply connected to the history of the city.
Over the centuries the event changed form several times, until it reached the modern version restored in 1931. It was precisely in those years that the Giostra was organized as we know it today, with the four city districts engaged in the challenge to win the Lancia d’Oro in Piazza Grande.
Even today many elements of the event recall the original medieval structure: the historic costumes, the parade, the symbols of the districts and the central role of the Buratto, the famous dummy against which the jousters ride.
The Giostra del Saracino is therefore not only a historic competition, but a tradition that continues to be part of the life of the city and that the people of Arezzo experience with strong participation, generation after generation.
How the Saracino Joust works
The Giostra del Saracino is a competition between the four districts of Arezzo, which challenge each other through the runs of their jousters in Piazza Grande. Each district fields two knights, who ride along the lizza and strike with their lance the scoring board fixed to the shield of the Buratto.
The Buratto is an automaton representing the “King of the Indies” and is the symbolic opponent of the competition. When it is struck, the mechanism makes it rotate rapidly on itself, setting off the flail, which can hit the jouster during the run.
The score depends on the point of the board struck by the lance: the central areas are worth more points than the outer ones. However, the Giostra does not reward only precision. If the knight drops the lance during the run, the score can be cancelled; if instead the impact is strong enough to break the lance, the score is doubled.
At the end of the runs, the scores obtained by the districts are added together and the winner conquers the Lancia d’Oro, the most coveted trophy of the Giostra del Saracino. In the event of a tie, tie-break runs are held, which often represent the most tense and spectacular moments of the event.
The four districts of the Joust
The Giostra del Saracino sees the four historic districts of Arezzo compete, each with its own colors, symbols, headquarters and supporters. The competition between the districts is one of the elements that still makes the event so deeply felt by the people of Arezzo today.
The district of Porta Crucifera, also known as “Colcitrone”, is identified by the colors red and green and is one of the districts with the warmest and most recognizable supporters.
Porta del Foro, or “San Lorentino”, uses the colors yellow and crimson and is connected to the north-western area of the city.
The district of Porta Sant’Andrea, white and green, represents the south-eastern area of Arezzo and has historically been one of the most competitive in the modern Giostra.
Finally, there is Porta Santo Spirito, also known as “Colombina”, with yellow and blue colors, a district that in recent years has won several Lance d’Oro.
During the week of the Giostra, each district organizes events, dinners and moments open to the city. The historic headquarters fill with district members and visitors, while the flags color the historic center of Arezzo, creating an atmosphere that goes far beyond the competition in
Piazza Grande.
Where to stay in Arezzo during the Giostra del Saracino
During the Giostra del Saracino, staying in the historic center of Arezzo is the most practical choice to truly experience the event. Most of the events are concentrated between Piazza Grande and the streets of the center: parades, trials, propitiatory dinners and moments connected to the districts all take place just a few minutes from one another.
Sleeping in the center allows you to easily reach Piazza Grande on foot, without having to manage cars, parking or transfers during the busiest hours of the event. This makes it much easier to take part in the Giostra and continue to experience the atmosphere of the city even after the competition.
In this context, the B&B Antiche Mura represents a particularly convenient solution for those who want to visit Arezzo during the Giostra del Saracino. The property is located in the historic center, close to the main places of the event and just a few minutes on foot from Piazza Grande, allowing you to move easily between the competition, the districts and the liveliest streets of the city.
Why choose Antiche Mura to stay in Arezzo during the Joust
- Location in the historic center of Arezzo
The B&B Antiche Mura is located inside the historic center, in a practical area for easily reaching the main places of the Giostra del Saracino. - A few minutes on foot from Piazza Grande
The position of the property allows you to comfortably reach Piazza Grande without using a car, an especially useful aspect during the days of the event. - Convenient for experiencing the events and parades of the Giostra
By staying in the center, it is easier to also take part in the events that precede the competition, such as historic parades, trials and propitiatory dinners organized by the districts. - Ideal for a weekend in Arezzo during the Giostra
The location of Antiche Mura allows you to combine a visit to the Giostra with discovering the historic center of Arezzo, its restaurants and its main places of interest. - Close to the city’s main points of interest
In addition to the Giostra del Saracino, from the property it is easy to reach churches, museums, venues and the most characteristic streets of Arezzo’s historic center.
Book a room at Antiche Mura for the Giostra del Saracino
During the Giostra del Saracino, Arezzo attracts thousands of visitors every year and finding accommodation in the historic center can become more difficult, especially on the weekends of the event. For this reason, it is advisable to book your stay in advance.
Choosing the B&B Antiche Mura means staying just a few minutes from Piazza Grande and experiencing the Giostra directly from the center of the city, moving comfortably on foot between the competition, parades, districts and evening events.
If you are organizing a weekend in Arezzo to attend the Giostra del Saracino, you can check availability and room types directly on the Antiche Mura website and book the most suitable solution for your stay.
