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Las Fallas - Valencia |
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If you are not afraid of fire, excited by the smell of gun powder or exhilarated by the sight of flames and can withstand extreme noise and boisterous crowds then Las Fallas festival which means “the Fires” in Valencia is where you should be when the whole city is literally set ablaze. This festival is undoubtedly the loudest, smokiest and most unique festival in the world.
It all began in the Middle Ages when the Carpenter’s guild celebrated St. Josephs day on the 19th of March by burning the pole on which they hung their lamps together with the remnants from their workshops. Subsequently, grotesque and comical figures were added to the blaze symbolizing the rivals in the different workshops thereby provoking bystanders to laugh and make fun of them. The other theory is that the tradition of lighting bonfires in honour of saints, is a pagan custom which Christianity embraced and it was difficult to curtail or prohibit this custom due to its popularity. Yet another theory states that effigies were tied to a stick and burnt in the market place during the 17th Century.
The tradition still lives on and has become a 5 day multifaceted celebration. The focus of this festival is to create and then destruct ninots or fallas – huge paper mache, wood and plaster statues that are kept in different places of the city. The ninots represent popular figures that are bawdily lifelike. The Fallas are crafted over a period of over 6 months with some Fallas being over 20 feet tall. Look out for celebrities! You may just be able to identify some of them.
The seven stages of Las Fallas are the Nomination and proclamation of the Fallas Queen,The Exaltation, the Crida, the Cavalcade of the Ninot, the Offering of Flowers, the Planta and lastly the Crema which is the grand finale of this festival when the burning of the Fallas takes place. All the Fallas are set on fire on March 19th ending the celebrations.One Fallas is saved or pardoned from being burnt by popular vote which is then displayed in the Museum of the Ninot amongst other Fallas that were saved previously.
Other activities during the day include bullfights, parades, paella contests and beauty pageants and the restaurants that offer tasty meals. The crowd in Valencia swells to three times its normal size during the festival.Food most often than not finishes fast. Be quick to have your meals early.
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