Read news from:
Austria
SHARE
COPY LINK

FESTIVALS

Valencia goes up in flames for Las Fallas

Valencia celebrated the end of its annual Las Fallas festival on Wednesday night with the dramatic annual burning of the festival sculptures, known as La Cremà.

Published: 20 March 2014 13:01 CET
Valencia goes up in flames for Las Fallas
The enormous Moses figurine was the undisputed focal point of the festival this year. Photo: Jose Jordan/AFP
Thousands of people watched as the main structure, a giant statue of Moses, went up in flames in the town hall square.
 
Las Fallas is a week-long celebration in Valencia held every year to honor Saint Joseph, the patron saint of the carpenter’s guild.
 
Giant wooden, cardboard, or papier-mâché sculptures, known as ninots, are constructed by groups of people known as the Casal faller. 
 
 
These figurines are often satirical in nature and used to make political commentary.
 
After days of parading through the streets of Valencia, the ninots are burned on the final day of Las Fallas during La Cremà.
 
Don't miss stories about Spain, join us on Facebook and Twitter.

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.

FESTIVALS

In Pictures: Spain’s Fallas festival returns after pandemic pause

Valencia's Fallas festival wrapped up with fireworks and the burning of colourful sculptures on Sunday after returning to the eastern Spanish city following a pandemic-induced hiatus.

Published: 6 September 2021 09:14 CEST
In Pictures: Spain's Fallas festival returns after pandemic pause
Ninots (cardboard effigies) burn as one installation of the Fallas Festival is set alight in Valencia on September 5, 2021. Photos: José Jordan/AFP

The five-day festival is traditionally held in March but was cancelled last year as the Covid-19 pandemic swept Spain. This year, officials postponed the start of the UNESCO-recognised event until September 1st.

It was the first time that the festival was suspended since the end of Spain’s 1936-39 Civil War.

Each year, residents make hundreds of colourful puppet-like sculptures — some as big as a four-storey building — out of wood, plaster and papier-mache for the festival.

Called “ninots”, the sculptures depict fairytale characters and cartoonish effigies of politicians and celebrities.

One ensemble from this year’s event was inspired by the hit Spanish Netflix series “Money Heist”. It depicted several people wearing red overalls and Salvador Dali face masks like the main characters in the show.

The ninots are displayed in the streets of the Mediterranean city and then burned on the last day of the festival — in a bonfire called the “Cremà” — in a centuries-old tradition honouring St Joseph, the patron saint of carpenters.

Fireworks lit up the night sky as this year’s bonfire, which features about 750 sculptures, was held without the thousands of spectators that the event usually draws.

The bonfire was brought forward by two hours to allow festivities to end before a nightly virus curfew came into effect at 1:00 am (2300 GMT).

After much debate a customary flower offering to the Virgin Mary was allowed to proceed — but without people lining the route, as is tradition.

“These are not Fallas as such, more like Fallas-related events that comply with health regulations,” said Valencia mayor Joan Ribo.

The Fallas festival is believed to have originated from pagan rituals marking the end of winter.

The pandemic has forced the cancellation of many of Spain’s most famous fiestas, including Pamplona’s bull-running festival and Seville’s Holy Week processions.

SHOW COMMENTS