Gegants Mostra
photo by Styrous®
It is this time of year that the city of Barcelona, Espańa, celebrates, La Mercè, the annual festival celebrating the city’s patron saint, Our Lady of Mercy (La Mare de Déu de la Mercè in Catalan) and Catalunyan culture.
La Mercè was introduced in 1902, when parades included a dance from Empordà that was becoming popular throughout Catalonia: the Sardana, the first Castell competition in the city . . .
. . . and the incredible papier maché “giants” known as gegants i capgrossos. Gegants means "giant", capgrosso means "tadpole" and mostra means "show" in the Catalan language; thus: Els gegants mostren in Catalan or Los gigantes muestran in Spanish.
The Gegants history began in 1424 and is one of the gems of the Catalunyan culture of Barcelona. The Gegants are carried by "geganters" which means "giant-carrier."
Prior to the big parade they are featured in, I had the incredible good luck to be wandering through El Raval near the Museum of Contemporary Art (MACBA) and quite by accident discovered the Gegants on display in the courtyard of the Casa de Caritat, at the Centre for Cultural Resources (The building itself is quite something to see). The next blog entry will show them in action in the streets. During the parade it is almost impossible to completely see them because of the crowds of people but it's a hell of a lot of fun.
La Mercè was introduced in 1902, when parades included a dance from Empordà that was becoming popular throughout Catalonia: the Sardana, the first Castell competition in the city . . .
(click on any image for slideshow)
photo by Styrous®
. . . and the incredible papier maché “giants” known as gegants i capgrossos. Gegants means "giant", capgrosso means "tadpole" and mostra means "show" in the Catalan language; thus: Els gegants mostren in Catalan or Los gigantes muestran in Spanish.
The Gegants history began in 1424 and is one of the gems of the Catalunyan culture of Barcelona. The Gegants are carried by "geganters" which means "giant-carrier."
Prior to the big parade they are featured in, I had the incredible good luck to be wandering through El Raval near the Museum of Contemporary Art (MACBA) and quite by accident discovered the Gegants on display in the courtyard of the Casa de Caritat, at the Centre for Cultural Resources (The building itself is quite something to see). The next blog entry will show them in action in the streets. During the parade it is almost impossible to completely see them because of the crowds of people but it's a hell of a lot of fun.
Enjoy!
all photos by Styrous®
all photos by Styrous®
There is a video of the gegants taken the year before by hurukuta, gegants i bestiari, 2009, in the courtyard of the Casa de Caritat at the Centre for Cultural Resources, on YouTube.
Main link to La Mercé articles:
Individual links:
Links:
Address : Montalegre 7 E - 08001 Barcelona
Phone : +34 93 402 25 65
Website: www.diba.es/cerc/pati.asp
Phone : +34 93 402 25 65
Website: www.diba.es/cerc/pati.asp
Museum of Contemporary Art MACBA
Address : Plaça dels Àngels, 1 - 08001 Barcelona
Address : Plaça dels Àngels, 1 - 08001 Barcelona
Phone : +34 93 412 08 10
Fax : +34 93 412 46 02
Fax : +34 93 412 46 02
Main link to La Mercé articles:
Individual links:
- Barcelona ~ Gegants en El Raval
- Barcelona ~ Mostra de Gegants
- La Mercé 2010
Styrous® ~ Friday, September 13, 2013
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