Flag of the Contada del Drago in Siena.
A contrada (plural: contrade) is generally a district within the Italian countryside. In the city of Siena, the term indicates the 17 urban wards, whose representatives race on horseback in the Palio di Siena, run twice every year in July and August. Each sienese contrada is named after an animal or symbol, with a long history and complicated heraldic and semi-mythological associations.
The contrade districts were set up in the Middle Ages in order to supply troops to the many military companies that were hired to defend Siena as it fought to preserve its independence from Florence and other nearby city states. With the passage of time, however, the contrade have lost their administrative and military functions and have become areas of localised patriotism. The communities are held together by their histories, and the emotions and sense of civic pride of the residents. Their roles have broadened so that in the 21st century, every important event – baptisms, deaths, marriages, church holidays, victories at the Palio, even wine or food festivals – is celebrated only within one’s own contrada. Siena’s organization was definitively revised in 1730 by governor,Princess Violante Von Bayern, as 17 intra-muros wards.
Every contrada has its own museum, church, fountain and baptismal font, motto, allied contrada (only Oca and Lupa have no allies) and adversary contrada, typically a neighbor (only four, Bruco, Drago, Giraffa and Selva, have no declared adversaries).
Drago is situated to the north-west of the Piazza del Campo. Traditionally, its residents were bankers.
Drago‘s symbol is a flying golden dragon carrying a banner with the letter “u”. Its colours are pink and green, trimmed with yellow. Drago won the Palio on July 2, 2014, July 2, 2018, and again July 4, 2022.
Drago’s ally is Aquila. Drago has never had a rival Contrada.