Las Fallas de Valencia. Art, tradition and fire!
One of the biggest examples of the Spanish creativity is the celebration of “Las Fallas de Valencia” where they celebrate the end of winter and beggining of spring. It is also related to the celebration of Saint Joseph held on March 19 th in Spain.
Valencia is the most important city in the eastern mediterranean coast of Spain. It is famous for its paellas, oranges and, of course for “las Fallas”.
Basically they build during the previous months these gigantic figures called “Fallas” or “Falles” in Valeciá with different materials (mostly paper) and start exposing them thr expose them in the streets.
Saint Joseph is the patron Saint of carpenters and they used to burn the leftover of wood on that date, Marck 19th.
The evolution of Las Fallas de Valencia
The first mention of this tradition called las fallas goes to the eighteenth century when they started making puppets of wood of some public figures that were not very well considered by the public.
After they burned them. By the ninenteenth century it developed to making the statues as we know them today and choosing delimited areas to expose them in the city of Valencia and the surrounding villlages.
These celebrations were a great opportunitty for the artists to make social parodia. But of course this was not allowed in periods with no freedom of speech.
Las Fallas de Valencia actually
Today they build up around 700 fallas in the streets of Valencia which always have a central figure and secondary scenes.>The winner falla will be the only one to be saved and not set on fire. All winners are in the Museum of las Fallas in Valencia.
It lasts five days and nights since the “Plantá” of the ninots (when the puppets are expoxed in the streets). Every morning until the 19th at 8:00 they do “La Despertá”. You'll wake up yes or yes, firecrackers in a massive way!
La Mascletá, everyday at 14:00 an explosive barrage of coordinated firecracker and fireworks displays near the City Hall.
The L'Ofrena de flors, flower offering to Virgin Mary. Cabalgata del Fuego is the last parade of all the art works at 7:00 PM March 19 th.
Finally “La Cremá” at 24:00 March 19 th all figures are burned except one....
Who will be the winner this year?
