The San Marino Crossbowmen’s Federation, along with the Italian cities of Gubbio, Sansepolcro, Lucca and Massa Marittima, is part of the Italian Crossbowmen’s Federation, founded on February 13th, 1966. The first individual national tournament was held on July 10th of that year in San Marino. The Palio dei Balestrieri (Crossbow Tournament), taking place every year in the Cava on the feast of the patron saint, on September 3rd, has been documented since 1537, reflecting a long and unwavering tradition. The quarry was opened in the 19th century for the extraction of the stone needed for the restoration of the Public Palace. With the creation of the Italian Crossbowmen’s Federation the quarry was set up for the competitions with the Italian great crossbow.
