Flowering fruit trees
06 October, 2020The Fallas of the Pyrenees, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The fire festival in the Pyrenees, which is celebrated in sixty-three towns in the Pyrenees and Pre-Pyrenees (34 in France, 17 in Catalonia, 9 in Aragon and 3 in Andorra) has been declared Intangible Heritage of Humanity by the UNESCO.
When the summer solstice approaches, one of the most deeply rooted festivals in Catalan traditions takes place in the Pyrenees, such as the Fire Festival. Historically Las Fallas ritual also meant a ceremony from childhood to adult life. The young people demonstrated their physical fitness and their ability to be the heroes during a magical night.
Today the meaning of the Festival is the fire: burning the old stuff to a new start.
The fallas are logs, of different types, which are carried on the shoulders to light them up in the mountain, in the “lighthouse”, and go down the town with the burning wood. The image of the flames give a magical tone to the descent. Once in the public square, the ringing of the bells and applause from the neighbors give the starting signal to the main festival.
Dates: Saturdays in June and July, different municipalities.
Place: La Vall de Boí