Celebrating La Mercè festival in Barcelona
La Mercè is the annual festival of Barcelona held in the honour of La Mare de Déu de la Mercè (The Virgin of Mercy), the patron saint of Barcelona. It is the main festival of Barcelona and probably the best time for travellers to witness the Catalonian traditions and culture. It’s a week-long celebration with over 100 different events that concludes on 24th September (the main day of the festival).
Virgin of Mercy
On 24th September, 1218, The Virgin of Mercy appeared to King James I and Saint Peter Nolasco asking them to form an order to rescue Christians from Moors (Muslims from North Africa). This is the reason that the festival is celebrated on 24th September.
During 1687, when Barcelona was suffering from plague, The Virgin came to the city’s rescue. She was then declared the patron saint of Barcelona. La Mercè has been celebrated since then although it became a major festival in 1902.
Main events of La Mercè Festival
A lot of events take place during the 5 day celebration. In addition, every year a guest city also participates to present its culture. In 2019 the guest city was Beirut and in 2020 it will be Havana. It’s impossible to attend all the events. Here are the main activities that one should aim to attend.
Note: Events/activities are completely free of charge
Projection Show
Different themes are projected on the Barcelona City Hall located at Plaça de Sant Jaume. The projections are accompanied by sound effects making it a spectacle.
Parade of Fire Beasts and Dragons
It’s the calm before storm! These dragons and beasts actually spit fire (more on that later) but if you want to view them in their calm state then this parade is the best time. The parade starts and finishes at Plaça de Sant Jaume. You can see the projection show and the parade back to back. Be sure to reach early and get a good spot because it gets very crowded at the square.
There is another famous procession where giant effigies of Kings, Queens and historical figures roam the streets of the city.
Castells
Castells are human pyramids or towers which can reach upto 10 metres in sky. There are different types of castles: some are single towers (one on top of each other) and some are layered ones (they can go upto 8-10 layers!). It’s a great demonstration of team work and the moment the last person reaches the top the whole square erupts into a celebration. Castells are listed under UNESCO Intangible Heritage List, aimed at protecting important worldwide cultural heritages and also creating awareness about their significance. This event takes place at Plaça de Sant Jaume.
Sardana Dance
Sardana is the national dance of Catalonia where people hold their hands and dance in circles. It’s a symbol of unity and pride for Catalans. Spanish dictator Franco disliked the Catalans so much that he decided to ban their language and traditions including Sardana dance. But the Catalans remained united and the same is reflected by this dance form where people hold their hands. Sardana is accompanied by a band called Cobla. I really wanted to get into a circle and try the dance myself but was scared that my wrong movements could jeopardize the whole dance!
Sardana dance takes place in front of the Barcelona Cathedral.
Correfoc – Fire Run
Correfoc means ‘Fire run’. This is definitely the main highlight of La Mercè festival. The correfoc starts from Plaça d’Antoni Maura on Via Laietana from a door called ‘Hell’ from where dragons and beast emerge spitting fire on you, literally! Along with them are ‘devils’ who keep on spraying fire all around. There are no rules and hence it’s advisable to wear full sleeved shirts or t-shirts, caps and glasses to protect you from fire. Drums are played continuously while fire is sprayed all around, making it super crazy fun! There are two versions of correfoc: kids and adults, where the kid’s one is the milder version.
Schedule for La Mercè festival
To know the schedule in advance visit Barcelona Tourist Guide. You can also inquire at the various tourism offices in Barcelona.
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