Porta al Palagio

Porta al Palagio is the smallest district of the Palio del Cerro since 1969 there has been no building expansion in this area and, consequently, no increase in inhabitants;

however, it includes a large part of the center where, among other things, there is the only access door of the castle left.
Porta al Palagio has stood out for years thanks to the Armigeri Group, made up of Commander and Sergeants, Halberdiers, riflemen and gunners, the real highlight of the entire Historical Parade, an exceptional example of re-enactment of the armed escort of Cosimo I meticulously rebuilt with all the armor, the harquebuses and a fully functional arm-towed assault culver.

All of this come together with the giant imperial drums played by the Group of Musicians, which were handcrafted in the district, with such a faithful reconstruction that it is difficult to find elsewhere. The procession also includes a mace bearer and the trumpets. In addition, some prominent figures of the time appear in the parade, such as the Podestà of Cerreto (the holder of the highest civil office in the government of the cities) flanked by his wife and followed by the Lady with the key, an important figure that held a legal and notary role giving audience every Thursday at the market of Empoli, a neighboring town.

The key is a faithful reconstruction of the access key to the village through the only door still existing nowadays; from there you can access to the peculiar steep slope ('sdrucciolo della porta').