GENERAL INFORMATION
HEADQUARTERS: Via dei Pispini - Terzo di San Martino
SOCIETY: "La Pania" - Via dei Pispini, 112
NAME OF THE CONTRADA MEMBERS: Nicchiaioli
MOTTO: "It is the red of the coral that burns in my heart"
COAT OF ARMS: azure, with a silver shell, topped by a grand-ducal crown, flanked by two coral branches emerging from the ear of the shell, joined by a pendant of three gold Savoy knots and two rosettes, one red and the other silver.
COLORS: azure striped or arabesque of red and yellow
SYMBOLIZES: reservedness
PLACES AND REFERENCES
CHURCH AND ORATORY: Oratory of San Gaetano Thiene
PATRON AND TITLE FESTIVAL: San Gaetano Thiene - August 7
MUSEUM: Via dei Pispini, 94
FOUNTAIN: Fonte dei Pispini (16th century). It is located on Via dei Pispini, at the intersection with Via Santa Chiara.
RELATIONS AND ORGANIZATION
RELATIONS WITH OTHER CONTRADE:
allies Bruco, Onda, Tartuca
enemies Valdimontone
CORPORATIONS: Potters
MILITARY COMPANIES: Abbadia Nuova di Sopra, Abbadia Nuova di Sotto
HISTORY OF THE CONTRADA DEL NICCHIO
The origins of Nicchio date back to around 1200, when the district began to develop in the area between the church of San Giorgio and the "poggio Farolfi" (future Santo Spirito), along the artery connecting Siena and Arezzo, today Via dei Pispini. By the end of the 1300s, the district had already reached a structure very similar to the current one.
With the advent of the regime of the Nine, the armed societies transformed into the people's companies, reorganized and institutionalized in 1310. In the district of Abbadia Nuova, two companies were formed: Abbadia Nuova di Sopra and Abbadia Nuova di Sotto, united after the plague of 1348 and then again divided in 1357.
The Contrada del Nicchio distinguished itself throughout history for several acts of great civic and military importance: its Military Companies were the first to attack during the famous battle of Montaperti; the contrada also provided water to its territory, building the Fonte dei Pispini in 1534; finally, it maintained at its own expense for six months the army of the Republic.
PALII AND RESULTS
WON PALII: 45
PARTICULARITIES
TITLE: it has the title of "Noble" by Decree of the Civic Magistrature of 1844, linked to various episodes in the history of Siena: for the valor of its militias at the battle of Montaperti in 1260; for bringing water to the district in 1469 at the expense of the people and again in 1531 with the construction of the Fonte dei Pispini; for the valor of its militias that in 1527 prevented the exiles Noveschi from re-entering the city through Porta Pispini.
TWINNING: Asciano
