Porta San Donato
The Games of the Gates
(I Giochi de le Porte)
Annually the last weekend in September
If you come to Gualdo Tadino
for the last weekend in September,
you're in for a real treat.
The biggest event of the year here is
'I Giochi de le Porte',
'The Games of the Gates'.
for the last weekend in September,
you're in for a real treat.
The biggest event of the year here is
'I Giochi de le Porte',
'The Games of the Gates'.
They say in Gualdo Tadino,
"You're an ass if you don't go to
The Festival of the Four Gates.
But if you go, you see many asses!"
"You're an ass if you don't go to
The Festival of the Four Gates.
But if you go, you see many asses!"
This Umbrian town has a three day event
in which asses are the stars.
in which asses are the stars.
The Festival starts
on the Friday of the last weekend in September every year
and gets underway with ringing bells, rolling drums,
and a procession of a thousand locals
dressed in fifteenth century costumes
that are lovingly created throughout the year.
on the Friday of the last weekend in September every year
and gets underway with ringing bells, rolling drums,
and a procession of a thousand locals
dressed in fifteenth century costumes
that are lovingly created throughout the year.
On the first day, the asses,
which are raised just for this occasion,
drag carts around the more than 2,500 ft. long city walls.
which are raised just for this occasion,
drag carts around the more than 2,500 ft. long city walls.
There are flag-throwing, slingshot,
bow-and-arrow, crossbow,
and other competitions.
bow-and-arrow, crossbow,
and other competitions.
On the last day
jockeys ride asses bareback in a race.
jockeys ride asses bareback in a race.
The winner of the Games
ignites an effigy of a witch
who supposedly betrayed Gualdo Tadino
to its enemies in the legendary past.
ignites an effigy of a witch
who supposedly betrayed Gualdo Tadino
to its enemies in the legendary past.
Since 2000,
Porta San Donato
has won the games 6 out of 11 years!
Porta San Donato
has won the games 6 out of 11 years!
During the Festival,
the town's population of 15,000
is more than doubled by visitors.
the town's population of 15,000
is more than doubled by visitors.
The following are photos taken by Andrea and David of Washington DC,
who stayed at Porta San Donato in September 2011 and witnessed the Games first hand!
who stayed at Porta San Donato in September 2011 and witnessed the Games first hand!
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VIDEOS of the Games and of the trials
portasandonato.com