The historic center was thus divided into four districts, based on the logic of medieval toponymy: Borgo District (black and white), Canneti District (white and blue), Castello District (white and red), and Prato District (white and green).
The event immediately took on the character of the most important occasion in the daily life of the people of San Quirico, sweeping the town in the Val d’Orcia into a wave of passion. A celebration created by the community, which transformed the habits of those years.
The reenactment is evocative and symbolic—a theatrical reconstruction set in the most significant corners of the historic center: the churchyard of the Collegiata, the squares, and the main streets. The protagonists bring to life the meeting between Emperor Barbarossa and the Cardinals, the civil and religious authorities of San Quirico at the time, as well as the nobles, the people, and the armies.
At the same time, the town lives year-round through its four districts which, during the Festa del Barbarossa, compete in spectacular challenges between archers (in the first two editions this was the only contest) and flag-throwers, striving to win the Emperor’s Pitchers.
The Barbarossa festival is also a celebration of flavors, with district taverns where visitors can enjoy dishes prepared from traditional recipes and the finest wines of the Val d’Orcia hills, all within a medieval atmosphere enriched by performances reminiscent of a distant past.
festadelbarbarossa.it
