Enjoy firecrackers, art and music in Valencia during Fallas
Valencia during Fallas: Apartments in Valencia
If you are planning to go to Valencia in the following weeks you better be ready for party because the Fallas have started and will continue until March 19th. The Fallas festivities are the expression of a unique kind of art using large wooden structures covered with painted papier-maché. Recently, however, other materials are also coming into use. This festival is also a satirical and ironic vision of local, provincial, national and even international problems and themes. The Fallas criticize almost everything and everyone imaginable, although they do so with tongue in cheek. Over 370 full-scale fallas and 368 children’s fallas are mounted throughout the city, and some of these reach extravagant heights, although they do not usually exceed 20 metres.
Since February 10th the Ninots, exhibition is open in the Nuevo Centro esplanade. There, the favourite ninot (ironic idea represented in a figure) will escape from the fire and become part of the Fallero Museum and become the ninot indultat (saved ninot).
Events during Fallas
La Despertada
Each day of falles begins at 8am with la despertada (”the wake-up call”). Brass bands will appear from the casals and begin to march down every road playing lively music. Close behind them are the fallers throwing large firecrackers in the street as they go (large enough to set off nearby car alarms, which will add their sirens to the bedlam!).
La Mascletà
It’s a pyrotechnical act composed by a series of fire crackers masclets that explode according to a certain rhythm and end with a spectacular sound. From March 1st through the 19th, at 2 pm, in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento, different mascletaes take place. Huge crowds gather from all corners of the city to see this event (go early!). At 2pm the clock will chime and one of the lovely maidens (dressed in her fallera finery) will call from the balcony of the City Hall, Senyor pirotècnic, pot començar la “mascletà”! (”Mr. Pyrotechnic, you may commence the Mascletada!”). Suddenly the square rips with a pyrotechnic display of a power rarely seen outside the battlefield. Louder is better as far as Valencians are concerned, and the masters don’t disappoint them. For six or seven minutes hundreds of kilograms of flash powder is gradually detonated. The crowd rocks with each explosion and great billowing clouds of smoke rise as it builds to the finale. The final crescendo of noise will leave you stunned and senseless for several seconds, at which point a huge cheer goes up from the crowd and the people run forward to applaud the pyrotecnic masters as they bow to their fans.
La Plantà
After midnight, on March 15th, the plantà officially begins and all the Fallas monuments can be contemplated in the streets.
L’Ofrena floral
Between March 17 and 18, one of the most emotive Fallero acts takes place: the traditional flower offer to the Virgen de los Desamparados, where thousand of Valencians gather to offer flowers to the “Cheperudeta”, the Virgin’s popular name. These days, all Fallero Comissions march dressed up in traditional costumes to accompanied with music bands towards an enormous reproduction of the Virgin located in front of the Basilica (where the original figure stands). The Falleras leave their flowers and, with them, a colourful shawl for the big figure of the Virgin. The last one making her flower offer is the Fallera Mayor of Valencia.
Els Castells and La Nit de Foc
Fireworks display in the old riverbed in Valencia at midnight. Each night is progressively grander and the last is called La Nit de Foc, the night of fire.
La Cremà
On the final night of Falles, around midnight on March 19th, these falles are burnt as huge bonfires and transformed into ashes; is the high point of the festivity as well as the saddest because it’s the end of Fallas. This is known as the cremada or cremà, i.e. “the burning”, and this is of course the climax and point of the whole event, and the reason why the constructions are called falles (”torches”). Traditionally, the falla near the town hall is burned last.
Fallas routes
A.- If you come by train and descend in the Estación del Norte or, by subway and get off at Bailén or Xàtiva stations, you can find five Fallas that are located very close to each other:
- Falla Convento Jerusalén-Matemático Marzal
- Address: Crossroads Convento Jerusalén and Matemático Marzal
- Falla del Ayuntamiento
- Address: Plaza del Ayuntamiento
- Falla Plaza de la Merced
- Address: Plaza de la Merced
- Falla Plaza del Pilar
- Address: Plaza del Pilar
- Falla Plaza Na Jordana
- Address: Salvador Giner
B.- EMT bus number 8 stops several times on Literato Azorín Street and the intersections with Sueca and Cuba, where you can contemplate these Fallas:
- Falla Sueca-Literato Azorín
- Address: Crossroads Literato Azorín and Sueca
- Falla Cuba-Literato Azorín
- Address: Crossroads Cuba and Literato Azorín
More information
Fallas.com
