By Laura Bonelli

The Masgalano is the prize “put up for grabs' by the Municipal Administration in favor of the best appearance that during the Historical Parade of both Palii of the year, stands out for elegance, dignity of bearing and the ability of the participants. It can be offered by public Bodies, Associations from Siena or other institutions, whose dress or function is particularly linked to the story of the city. According to a costum, it is presented by a municipal authority on the occasion of the Drappellone presentation in the courtyard of the Podestà with the presence of the citizenship and it must contain the coats of arm of the Municipality of Siena, of the Magistrato delle Contrade and of the Comitato Amici del Palio. The term Masgalano was born as a spanish derivation of “ Màs galante”, that means “kinder”, and it once consisted of a silver basin weighting about a kilogram and it was transformed over the centuries into a work of art with the representation of allegories related to the city, to the Palio or to particular city events, carried out by artists, goldsmiths and sculptors. The prize was reinstated by the Comitato Amici del Palio in 1950 after years of study and debate , with the purpose of giving new prestige to the Historical Parade, and it awarded by a jury nominated by the City Council at least thirty days before the first Palio of the year, chaired by the mayor or his/her representative, and consisting of thirty-four nominations, two for each Contrada. The Regulation for the allocation of the Masgalano has been approved with resolution of the Municipal Council nº 126 in date 26th April 1994 and modified with resolution of the Municipal nº 220 in date 28th September 1999, nº 147 in date 6th May 2004, nº 112 in date 29th April 2010, nº69 in date 6th March 2014.