According to credence, Senio and Ascanio founded Siena following a lengthy legendary race known as Palio Alla Lunga. The colours of their steeds one black and one white were also the colours of the smoke that rose from the altars of their sacrificial offerings. These colours represent Siena’s Balzana its symbolic crest that bears out the town’s inherent polarity. UNESCO’s motivation for designating the historical centre of Siena as a World Heritage Site in 1955: "The Committee has decided to include this town, Siena as it is an extraordinary Medieval town which preserved its character and quality. This town is a masterpiece of workmanship and creativity where the buildings were designed to conform with the overall urban structure and to harmonize with the surrounding cultural landscape." “Siena is a world unto itself in which the past is always present and unavoidable” Italo Calvino “The three hills it is built on ensure that in this town no two streets are alike, and that they refuse to be tamed by any sort of geometry” José Saramago “Siena is a treasure chest of art, culture and local traditions so important that it has become used to hosting prestigious events...” Carlo Verdone Actor and Director The Palio is the well known spectacle staged by Siena’s Contradas, which divided the town in seventeen district , each of them has Museum, Church, Fountain, Patron Saint and keeps the community alive all year round.