FESTIVALS

Holy Week is celebrated in the incomparable frame of the old town, in the labyrinth of its narrow streets, and is the most important festivity in Cuenca. These celebrations date back to the l7th century at the very least and are recommended by international tourist boards along with the Religious Music Festival.

In Holy Week, the hooded members of the brotherhoods which take part in the processions walk slowly through the streets with the typical seriousness of Castilian people; they carry beautiful statues and the medieval atmosphere of the city after dark makes the procession particularly striking.

The processions start on Palm Sunday (the Borriquilla Procession) and continue on Monday (the Vera Cruz procession); Tuesday (the procession of Pardon); Wednesday (the Silent procession); Thursday (the Peace and Charity Procession); on Good Friday there are three processions: at dawn the touristic Road lo Calvary procession (accompanied by the turbas, drummers and trumpet-players walking backwards because they face the statue of Christ), al midday, the best procession, On Calvary and in the evening, the Holy Burial); the last Holy Week procession is the Resurrection Procession on Faster Sunday.

Another interesting festivity is Carnival. The most important celebration is on Shrove Tuesday and is organised around the Fuente de Oro district of the town. The people of Cuenca dress up for a few hours to participate in the festivity and the Entierro de la Sardina which marks the end of the Carnival and beginning of Lent.

From August 2Oth to 29th, Cuenca holds celebrations in honour of its patron saint, San Julián. There are cavalcades, bullfights, sporting competitions, festivals and fair attractions.

And on September 2lst, St Mathew’s Day, the popular fiestas in Cuenca are held to mark the day the town was conquered by Alphonso VIII in 1177. During four days, there are cavalcades and fancy-dress processions with bands of music in the Plaza Mayor and the streets around it.