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About
Giostra di San Donato 2023, the first act of Giostra del Saracino 2023, held in honour of Saint Donatus, will take place on Saturday, June 17, 2023, in Piazza Grande, in Arezzo.
Giostra del Saracino (Saracen Joust) is one of the most important historical reenactment events in Italy, held twice a year in Arezzo.
Giostra di San Donato, dedicated to Saint Donatus, the patron saint of Arezzo, is held in the penultimate Saturday of June, during the evening, while Giostra della Madonna del Conforto, dedicated to Our Lady of Comfort, protector of the city, takes place in the first Sunday of September, during the day.
The Saracen Joust is a competition between the four Quarters of the city: Porta Crucifera, Porta del Foro, Porta Sant’Andrea and Porta Santo Spirito.
The competition consists of hitting a target held by the Buratto, a revolving armor-plated dummy which personifies the King of the Indies. The participants, two of each team, eight in total, gallop their horses towards the Buratto, trying to hit the target with a lance. The couple of knights with the highest score win the competition.
The Joust is preceded by a procession of about 350 costumed people and 27 horses parading along the historical center of Arezzo, ending in Piazza Grande, where the tournament takes place.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
- 7.00 am – First cannon salute;
- 10.30 am – Departure of the Municipal Foot Soldiers and Valets from the Cathedral of Santi Pietro e Donato;
- 11.00 am – Second cannon salute; the Joust Procession begins;
- 7.00 pm – Third cannon salute; the blessing of the knights;
- 7.30 pm – Parade Assembly in Piazza San Domenico, in front of the Basilica of San Domenico;
- 8.00 pm – Fourth cannon salute;
- 8.15 pm – Blessing of the teams by the bishop of Arezzo;
- 8.30 pm – Grand parade through the historical center of the city;
- 9.00 pm – Fifth cannon salute; Giostra del Saracino begins.
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