Polisportiva Mens Sana 1871 will mark its 155th anniversary with a public ceremony at PalaGiannelli on Wednesday, October 21, at 6:00 p.m. local time, opening the 2026/2027 competitive season with a parade of all its green-and-white athletic sections.

The event, hosted at the venue located on viale Sclavo 12 in Siena, brings together athletes, coaches, club directors, and municipal and sports authorities for an evening open to the entire city. The milestone is a symbolic bridge connecting the organization’s century-and-a-half heritage with its current membership.

PalaGiannelli Hosts Season Opening and Anniversary Parade

Wednesday evening’s gathering at PalaGiannelli serves a dual purpose for the historic club: celebrating 155 years of history while formally presenting the competitive rosters for the 2026/2027 season. City officials and sports leadership are scheduled to attend alongside the club’s athletes and technical staff. The ceremony emphasizes the ongoing relationship between the institution’s historical roots and the modern generation of competitors.

“Mens Sana is not just history,” said Gianluca Marzucchi, sports director of Polisportiva Mens Sana 1871. “It is identity, passion, and a vision of sport that has accompanied us for 155 years. It is not simple tradition: on Wednesday our young athletes will not merely retrace the history of the Polisportiva, but will become active participants in its continuation.”

Origins as Associazione Ginnastica Senese

The organization traces its lineage back 155 years to a founding group of three students who established the Associazione Ginnastica Senese. Over the decades, the club expanded into a cornerstone of the community across Siena and the surrounding provincial territory.

Today, Mens Sana is the second-largest sports society in Italy and ranks among the ten multi-century sports societies in the world. The green-and-white organization encompasses more than 21 distinct sports sections and serves over 1,900 members spanning all age brackets, maintaining a presence at both national and international levels of competition.

Community Open Day Precedes Official Ceremony

Ahead of the PalaGiannelli presentation, the club hosted an open day that drew more than 400 participants, including children, teenagers, and families. The afternoon session allowed prospective athletes to inspect facilities and meet instructors across a broad spectrum of disciplines.

The club’s active sections span track and field, boxing, jiu-jitsu, cycling, artistic and rhythmic gymnastics, judo, karate, minibasket, basketball, speed skating, figure skating, fencing, archery, table tennis, general gymnastics, and dedicated fitness areas.