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Italiano
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DRAGON:
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Badge
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The dragon. Some say it is deriving from the old St. Donato military army emblem, other it is coming from Benincasa (St. Catherine) family bearing, some say it was the Borghesi coat of arms.
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Symbol
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Silver badge with a green dragon, surmounted by an ancient crown, holding in its right claw a light blue banner, leaning on the wing, with the initial U in golden roman capitol letter as per concession of Humbert I in occasion of his visit in 1887.
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Colors
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Ancient rose and green flag bordered in yellow.
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Motto
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My burning heart becomes flame in my mouth.
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Patrono Saint and feast day
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S. Catherine from Siena, April 29th (celebrated on the last Sunday of May)
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Stable (horse house)
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Contrada Association
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Historical seat and museum
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Oratory
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S. Catherine's church, once belonging to the "nouns of the paradise" it was given to the Contrada thanks to a decree issued by the grand duke. It is located in Piazza Matteotti.
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Website
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Baptismal font
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Work by the sculptor Vico Consorti, built in 1977 it has a target saying that the purpose of the fountain itself is to pass on to the new generations, the remembrance of two valuable priors as Mario Calamati and Alberto Rossi. It is in Piazza Matteotti right in front of the museum.
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the NewsPaper
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I Malavolti (since may 1974)
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Immagine tratta da "Le Contrade di Siena" di F.Rossi
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History
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The emblem of this Contrada was copied from the Benincasa family Coat-of-Arms. This is also the family of Saint Catherine of Siena, the Patron Saint of the Drago.
The dragon as it appears on the Coat-of-Arms is a "distinctly Chinese figure" and it became part of Tuscan heraldry and in particular Sienese heraldry due to an intermediary figure: The Iranian Senmury.
However its origins almost certainly lie in the decorations of Iranian and Muslim materials. In fact the saddle cloth of the horse of the knight Walter D'Astemberg who opened the Battle of Monteaperti was in vermilio sendal embroidered with green dragons streaked with gold.
The Seat of the Contrada is in Poggio dei Malavolti, now called Piazza Matteotti. It moved here in 1788 after holding its meetings in the Campagna of San Domenico in Camporegio, and then in the Basilica of San Domenico.
In the Church of Saint Catherine (once called Monache del Paradiso) which is Contrada property, there is a bust of Saint Catherine by Lorenzo di Mariano nicknamed "Marrina" (1476-1534). It also has a valuable chasuble donated to the Contrada by Pope Benedict XV.
The men of the Drago played an important part in the Battle of the Ponte a Rosaio against the troops of Arrigo, son of Frederick Barbarossa (30th May 1186). They also distinguished themselves in driving out the Spaniards especially in the seizing of the trench called "Travata", behind which the garrison of Don Garcia of Toledo had taken cover (near the present-day Piazzetta degli Alberghi) in an attempt to make a counter-attack and re-take the initiative (28th July 1552).
On 1st December 1970, the Contrada of the Drago was decreed an "Ente Morale" (non-profit making organization) of Canon Law by the Archbishop of Siena in the Cathedral of Siena.
The ancient and grandiose Basilica of San Domenico is on Drago territory, as is the ancient Seat of the University and Palazzo Spannocchi where a plaque commemorates the participation in the Risorgimento of the Contradas Drago, Oca and Selva.
The great violinist Rinaldo Franci and the famous contemporary sculptor Vico Consorti were born and lived on Drago territory.
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