horse race (called also "carriera") which closes the event. The bell and the heralds represent the final moment of the Corteo Storico, before the carriera for the conquest of the rag. In the Palio di Legnano (last Sunday of May), the carroccio parades through the streets of Legnano pulled by oxen. This wagon, which concludes the historical procession, carries the Cross of Aribert, the coveted prize of the horse race in which the eight contrade in which Legnano is divided compete in the stadio Giovanni Mari. The carroccio, during the historical procession, which closes at the Giovanni Mari stadium, is escorted by some figurants who impersonate Alberto da Giussano and the Company of Death. The latter, before the horse race, recall the charge made, according to legend, by the Company of Death and Alberto da Giussano during the battle of Legnano. In the Palio di Asti (third Sunday of September), the carroccio is pulled by three pairs of oxen and brings, as tradition dictates, the insignia of the city (a white cross on a red field), a wrought iron rooster (symbol of municipal freedom), and the Palio di Asti, the coveted prize of the winner of the horse race. It is a historical reconstruction of the medieval Asti carroccio and bears the altar with a reproduction of Secundus of Asti, present in the Gothic choir of the Asti Cathedral. On the carroccio di Asti there is also the "martinella", or the bell that once served to call the municipal troops to pray before the battle. It is kept in the Collegiate Church of San Secondo, from which it comes out only once a year, on the occasion of the Palio race, on the third Sunday of September. Modern uses of the term The political party of the Lega Nord is historically known as il carroccio, in reference to the Battle of Legnano to which the Lega Nord symbolism refers. See also Alberto da Giussano Battle of Legnano Company of Death Lombard League Citations References (In Italian) Giorgio D'Ilario, Egidio Gianazza, Augusto Marinoni, Legnano e la battaglia, Edizioni Landoni, 1976. (In Italian) Gabriella Ferrarini, Marco Stadiotti, Legnano una città, la sua storia, la sua anima, Telesio editore, 2001. (In Italian) Chiara Frugoni, Il Villani illustrato : Firenze e l'Italia medievale nelle 253 immagini del ms. Chigiano L VIII 296 della Biblioteca Vaticana, texts by Alessandro Barbero, Alessandro Savorelli to others, Firenze,