Taken from the emblem of Lucca as the majority of the ancient inhabitants of this Contradawere merchants from Lucca.
Coat of arms with natural rampant panther, white and red quarter at the initial U (Umberto I) flowered at the Avellana in the upper right corner (heraldic addition granted with R.D. of 9.2.1889).
Red and blue flag bordered in white.
⇒ My momentum hinders every obstacle.
⇒ The panther roared and the people shook.
Boldness.
Grocers
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Saint John Decollate, August 29th (celebrated on the 4th Sunday of August).
Città
"Due porte" (Two doors), Via San Quirico, 20
via di San Quirico, 26
via di San Quirico, 30
The Contrada presently uses the church of the Camel in Pian de' Mantellini, officiated by the Carmelites and linked to their friary.
At the beginning of its history, the Panther, unlike the sisters who used to gather in churches or chapels granted to them in use, used to gather in the houses of its captains. But wanting to follow the example of the other Contrade, in 1685 he asked and obtained - after not a few attempts to dissuade by the "Death Company" - to be able to officiate in the Chapel, built in 1642 by the Magistracy of Biccherna inside Porta Laterina, dedicated to Saint John the Baptist took off.
The use of the Chapel prescribed the annual payment of two pounds of worked wax or of the corresponding value, to be paid "on the day of the Titular Feast of said Church". The Panther adopted the Holy Owner and still today, on August 29, it celebrates the anniversary of the Beheading of Saint John the Baptist.
The panthers also undertook to make important improvements to the church, not owned by them, aimed at "increasing their Temple" up to "completely rebuilding" the oratory also thanks to the help of other Contrade including the Goose that in 1687 he brought 84 some bricks as gifts. The expansion process continued so that a small sacristy room was built in 1719.
But the design of the Laterino cemetery, in the area where the oratory stood, forced the Panther, in 1786, to leave its first seat, however, bringing with it the reliquary of San Giovanni and other sacred objects acquired previously. The church was demolished in 1893 with no trace left.
In search of a new church, the Church of the Weavers was offered to Pantera, that is, the Crypt of Saint Sebastiano in Vallepiatta then officiated as an independent church by the upper oratory owned by the Selva.
The entrance of the Panther into the church of the Fosso di Saint Ansano determined some decades of rivalry between the two Contradas. But the church soon proved insufficient for the needs of the Contrada.
The suppression of religious orders wanted by Napoleon in 1810 forced the Carmelites to move to the Convent of Carmine leaving the parish of Saint Quirico and since this Church, although being in the territory of the Contrada della Chiocciola, was closer to the center of the Pantera district, this , in 1813 it obtained its use by dedicating it to San Giovanni Decollato.
But the pilgrimage was not finished: in 1821 the Carmelites claimed their use and the Panther asked, and obtained, to be able to settle "in the Church of Castelvecchio and adjoining rooms": fourth seat! Finally, on April 28, 1982 the Pantera left the church of Saint Quirico and obtained hospitality in the Church of Saint Niccolò al Carmine, at Pian dei Mantellini where it still officiates.
The first sure news of the existence of this church is from 1262 but it is known that various references have been made subsequently; for example of the bell tower there is no trace in the accurate "View of Siena" engraved by Vanni in 1565.
Inside there are precious works of art such as the "Saint Michael the Archangel drives out the rebel angels to God" by Beccafumi, "The Saints Alberto Carmelitano, Stefano Maria and Caterina d'Alessandria" by Francesco Vanni, the "Adoration of the Shepherds" begun by Riccio around 1570 and finished by Arcangelo Salimbeni, the "Madonna with Child" also called "of the Mantellini" attributed to a Pisan artist from the end of the 13th century, called "Master of Saints Cosma and Damiano ".
For a period the Church was also destined to barracks in the early 1900s; the large restorations carried out returned the original beauty and in 1937 the Carmelites returned to officiate there.
Previous oratories:
- Saint John the Baptist to Laterino (from 1684 to 1786).
- Saint Sebastiano in Vallepiatta (from 1786 to 1813).
- Saints Quirico and Giuditta ( from 1813 to 1821 and from 1957 to 1980).
- Saint Margherita in Castelvecchio (from 1822 to 1957).
Work in bronze by sculptor Giulio Corsini, 1977. The Contrada motto is inscribed on the travertine base. It is located in Piazza del Conte.