The 7 Most Important Customs And Traditions Of Castilla Y León
Castilla y León is a Spanish autonomous community that has been called a “historical and cultural community” and is located in the northern part of the Iberian Peninsula, it should be noted that it is made up of 9 provinces and that it is the autonomous community that has the largest surface of Spain, also having 9 properties that have been declared World Heritage Sites.
In this article We will talk about those customs and traditions of Castilla y León that have transcended to our days.
The most famous traditions, customs and traditions of Castilla y León
Among the customs and traditions of Castilla y León, it is worth highlighting festivals with a long tradition such as the Carnivals that are celebrated in various parts of this autonomous community, as well as Holy Week celebrated in the 9 provincial capitals, several of which have been declared International Tourist Interest, others of National Interest and some of the rest have been declared at the regional level.
1. Carnival in Castilla y León
One of the customs and traditions of Castilla y León that should be highlighted are the Carnival festivities that date back to pre-Roman times. In this Autonomous Community there are several towns whose Carnivals have become more prominent over the years, so we are going to mention some of them.
First of all we will mention “The Witch’s Night” celebrated in the town of La Bañeza in the province of León, a Carnival that has been declared a Festival of National Tourist Interest, where in addition to the participants dressing up, it is also celebrated with festivals, parades and parades, as well as afterwards many continue the party in the bars of the town
Within the province of León we also want to highlight “Los Antruejos Leoneses”, from the oldest rituals in this area, still preserved in various locations in León such as Riaño (Antruido), Riello, Velilla de la Reina or Cimanes del Tejar. During these holidays it is tradition to dress up with colorful and showy masks.
Among the various customs and traditions of Castilla y León, there is a traditional Carnival celebration in the town of Toro (Zamora) that should be highlighted, “The Carnival Wedding”, a celebration that can be found reflected in texts dating back to 1590. In this festival it is tradition that the oldest couples in the town dress in traditional wedding costumes and parade through the streets of the Zamora town. On the other hand, there are also costume parades for children and adults.
These Carnivals conclude with the “burial of the sardine”, a ceremony in which a symbolic figure that usually represents a large sardine is burned, being one of the customs and traditions of Castilla y León that are also developed in other towns around from all over Spain and even in Latin America.
“El Zangarrón de Sanzoles” is also celebrated in the province of Zamora, considered the festival with the largest number of winter masks in the entire Iberian Peninsula. These masks are of pre-Roman origin and are made with animal skins.
Other very popular Carnivals within this Autonomous Community are those held in Ciudad Rodrigo, in the province of Salamanca, known as “The Carnival of the Bull”, where there is a combination of costumes, music, running of the bulls and parades with the bulls. These Carnivals have also been declared festivals of National Tourist Interest.
In Ávila, the “Carnaval de Cebreros” is celebrated, one of the customs and traditions of Castilla y León with more than 200 years. At Carnivals it was a tradition for boys to dress in their grandparents’ pelizas and zamarras (warm jackets), as well as caps and clubs, while girls used to put on their grandmothers’ toquillas, their mothers’ bags, and also They dressed in high-heeled shoes, put on makeup and lipstick. In these Carnivals there is a large parade of floats that have been handcrafted by the participants.
2. The Obispillo
Another of the customs and traditions of Castilla y León is the “Obispillo” festival, orAn ancient Christmas tradition celebrated every December 28 (Day of the Holy Innocents) in the cathedrals of León, Burgos and Palencia whose origin dates back to the 15th century.
This tradition consists of investing one of the children in the choir of a cathedral or monastery, so that the child who is chosen must dress in the clothes of a bishop. Afterwards, the child will take a parade through the city on a white horse. At the end of the journey, the child who has been invested as the “Obispillo” will be in charge of transmitting the wishes on behalf of all the children for their city
3. Holy Week in Castilla y León
In an article about the traditions of Castilla y León we could not forget to mention Holy Week, one of those that attract the greatest cultural and tourist interest in all of Spain, and can boast of having 8 Holy Weeks that have been declared of International Interest (those of León, Salamanca, Zamora, Ávila, Palencia, Valladolid, Medina de Rioseco and Medina del Campo); as well as 3 other Holy Weeks declared of National Interest (those of Astorga, in the province of León; Burgos and Bajada del Ángel de Peñafiel in Valladolid).
Some of the most important processions of Castilla y León They are that of the brothers of Jesús de Nazareno (León), that of the brotherhood of Christ of Love and Peace (Salamanca), La Borriquilla (Palencia), that of the Via Crucis of Segovia, the procession made with 7 large carvings artistic value of the 16th century on Palm Sunday in Valladolid, the procession of the Brotherhood of the Christ of the Good Death in Zamora, the burning of Judas in Trespaderne (Burgos), the procession of the Holy Burial in Arévalo (Ávila) or the adoration of the Holy Thorns in Ágreda (Soria), among others.
Among the customs and traditions of Castilla y León whose historical roots predate Christianity, there are a pagan festival that is celebrated in León on Holy Thursday in honor of Genarín a picturesque man from the capital of León who has been remembered for his love of the “good life”, being a well-known man who frequented the most bohemian environments of the city at the beginning of the 20th century and who died on the night of Holy Thursday. due to being run over by León’s first garbage truck in 1929.
After Genarín’s death, some of his acquaintances began to gather in the Plaza del Grano in his honor, where that festival continues to be celebrated today.
4. The stick dances of Castilla y León
Among the customs and traditions of Castilla y León it could not be missing the traditional “stick dance” that has been recognized as an Asset of Cultural Interest with the purpose of being able to disseminate in this way the anthropological and cultural origin of this manifestation with several centuries of history, whose origin is related to pagan rites.
The stick dance or paloteos consists of a traditional dance in which The participants hit two short sticks that they carry in their hands against each other or against the person in front of them following the rhythm of the music Normally a choreography that has been previously rehearsed is followed and they are divided into four different acts; the first being in front of the spectators, the second oriented towards the right, the third towards the back and the fourth, towards the left, and there may be a fifth act in which it is performed again in front of the spectators. However, the choreographies may vary.
The best-known stick dance groups in Castilla y León are the Grupo de Danzas Sorianas, the groups from Aranda de Duero (Burgos) such as the Grupo Alqueria, among others, the most common thing being that the dancers are dressed in white and carrying the sticks or palitroques with which they will carry out the collisions.
Palo dances are also celebrated elsewhere around Spain, as well as in other countries in Europe, so there is a wide variety of palo dances.
5. Night of San Juan in Castilla y León
Another of the most notable customs and traditions of Castilla y León is the celebration of the Feast of San Juan or Night of San Juan on the night of June 23 being a festival that is also celebrated in various locations around the Spanish national territory and even in other countries in Europe and Latin America.
Let’s review some of the celebrations of the Night of San Juan, starting with the San Juan Festival in the city of León where various activities are carried out such as concerts with musical performers of national and international fame, games and activities for the little ones, parades with giants and big heads and a fair, among others, culminating with the traditional bonfire of San Juan that takes place in the Plaza de Puerta Obispo, giving way next to the festival of Leonese groups in the Plaza San Marcelo, as well as various concerts.
In addition, it is common for both the inhabitants of the Leonese capital and visitors to take the opportunity to enjoy the tapas offered by its bars, especially those located in the central Barrio Húmedo and Barrio Romántico, which are also the places where they usually continue with the party until the wee hours of the morning, after having finished the San Juan bonfire and the concerts.
Another of the most notable nights of San Juan among the traditions and festivities of Castilla y León is which is celebrated in the León region of El Bierzo, and more specifically in the municipality of Arganza, where what has been recognized as the largest bonfire in Europe takes place. At the same time, in this festival it is common to offer a traditional queimada and hot chocolate for all visitors and residents of the area, there are also other events to enjoy such as concerts or sports and recreational activities for the youngest. .
In Segovia there is also a San Juan Night that is worth mentioning: includes a fireworks show, as well as float parades, musical performances, festivals and the troupe of giants and big heads.
In the town of San Pedro Manrique (Soria) a very popular San Juan Festival is celebrated, being commonly known by the names of “Paso del Fuego” or “Fiestas de las Móndidas”, having been declared a Festival of National and International Tourist Interest. The highlight of this festival is the event in which the San Pedro residents barefoot cross a path of incandescent embers that have been arranged on the ground like a carpet without burning. Tradition dictates that the first 3 young men to pass must carry the three móndidas or girls of the festivities on their backs.
On Las Moreras beach in Valladolid, a foothills of the Pisuerga River where this river beach was artificially created, the traditional bonfires are celebrated on the Night of San Juan, a time when groups of friends and family usually stand in groups. around the bonfires to chat, dance and have a drink while they wait for the official bonfire to be lit. Once the bonfires are extinguished, the celebration usually continues through concerts.
This popular tradition is celebrated in the town of Aguilar de Campoo (Palencia) beginning with the greeting of the different participating clubs on the balcony of the town hall, the place from which the famous San Juan rocket is launched, continuing with the torchlight parade in the direction of the town’s sports city, where the traditional Saint John’s bonfire. Various activities are also carried out such as the popular Olympics, the “Charanguilar” parade and a festival.
It is also worth highlighting “Las Sanjuaneras”, a festival in Soria in which various activities are carried out, beyond the traditional bonfire, such as the brass bands that are accompanied by the San Juan peñas, the parades and the well-known running of the bulls in which the animals can run in semi-freedom.
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6. Other Festivals of National Tourist Interest in Castilla y León
Below we will talk about other Festivals of National Tourist Interest, in addition to Carnivals and Holy Week that have also been declared with this distinctive designation, which should be mentioned among the main customs and traditions of Castilla y León.
One of those festivals is “The Baptism of the Child” which is celebrated every January 1 in Palencia, and it is a tradition that the brotherhood of the Dulce Nombre del Niño Jesús is in charge of organizing this celebration. In this festival, the well-known Baptism procession takes place in which the carving of the baby Jesus is paraded and carried by the brothers and some local authorities, accompanied by the band of typical Palencia dulzainas.
Another festival that is of great interest is the “Botillo Exaltation Festival” in the town of Bembibre (León) whose origin dates back to 1973, where you can taste botillo, a sausage that is typical of the Bierzo region that is made up of the following ingredients: rib, pork tail, tongue, cheek, shoulder and backbone.
It is also worth highlighting, among the customs and traditions of Castilla y León, “La Loa” in the town of La Alberca (Salamanca), a traditional festival that is celebrated on August 16 after a bull run through the streets of this town. This festival is a sacramental auto in which the victory of good over more is staged, this celebration being one of the oldest sacramental autos originating from the Middle Ages in Spain.
Various traditional characters participate in this celebration, highlighting the snake, a monster that has the head and body of a goat, as well as 7 snake heads representing the 7 deadly sins. A costumed character representing the devil appears on the back of this snake, giving way to a pyrotechnic show, simulating the fire of hell.
Finally, it is convenient to mention among the customs and traditions of Castilla y León the “Fiesta del Vítor”, also known as the “El Vítor Civic Procession”, which is celebrated on September 27 in Mayorga (Valladolid), being a civic procession whose origin dates back to the year 1650 following the reception of its inhabitants of the relic of Santo Toribio Alfonso de Morgovejo, its patron saint. In this procession, the neighbors carry torches or skins hanging from poles that are set on fire and they go towards the Hermitage of Santo Toribio guiding the “Vítor” or banner.
7. Dances, sports and traditional games of Castilla y León
Among the customs and traditions of Castilla y León, it is also worth highlighting other traditional dances of their lands, apart from the palo dance, such as the jotas from Leon, Sorianas, Segovia and Burgos, the drone dance (Valladolid), the known as charradas (Salamanca), the stick dances (Zamora), the redondilla (Palencia), among others.
It is also worth highlighting the great diversity of traditional sports and games of Castilla y León such as Leonese wrestling or “aluches”, which has been declared an Asset of Cultural Interest, traditional bowling, calva, the frog game, tanga or tango, horseshoe, key game, Roman billiards, log cutting, Castilian bar throwing, etc.
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Other interesting information about Castilla y León
In addition to the customs and traditions of Castilla y León, it is worth mentioning other information of interest about this autonomous community so full of history, where you can find 12 cathedrals, 9 properties that have been declared World Heritage Sites, worth highlighting their great wealth. artistic-architectural that demonstrates the great historical significance of Castilla y León.
On the other hand, Castilla y León has a wide cultural background; and it is that The two oldest universities in Spain that are still fully operational today and are also among the oldest in Europe, are located in Castilla y León The first is the University of Salamanca, founded in 1218, and through which illustrious historical figures such as Antonio de Nebrija, Francisco de Vitoria, Fray Luis de León and Miguel de Unamuno, among others, have passed. The second is the University of Valladolid (1241), which Miguel Delibes and Juan de Herrera, among others, have passed through.
Some historians claim that the oldest university in Spain is the University of Palencia, founded between 1208 and 1212; However, this institution of higher education was doomed to disappear in approximately the year 1300.
It should be noted the wide gastronomic variety with typical dishes from different parts of this autonomous community since historically they are deeply rooted in the customs and traditions of Castilla y León, such as the cocido maragato from Astorga (León), the beans from the farm (Segovia), the steak from Ávila, the suckling pig from Segovia, the torreznos from Soria , Zamora-style rice, Palentine stew or chorizo tortilla (Valladolid), among others.
Castilla y León also offers a wide variety of typical products such as cecina from León, blood sausage from Burgos, puff pastry San Guillermo bows made in Cistierna (León), blue cheese from Valdeón (León), botillo from the region from El Bierzo (León), the hornazo from Salamanca, the ham from Guijuelo (Salamanca), the asparagus from Tudela (Valladolid), the yemas from Santa Teresa (Ávila), the Fabiola palentina, the migas de pastor (Soria), the oiled (Zamora), the Segovian punch, as well as a wide variety of wines, many of them recognized with the Denomination of Origin label.
