Sant Jordi i (in Catalan , Saint George in French , San Jorge in Spanish , Sant Chorche in Aragonese ) is a feast that takes place on April 23 , the day of Saint George , patron saint of Aragon , Valencia , the Balearic Islands and Catalonia 1 . Saint George can be the patron saint of vital Spanish cities equivalent to Alcoy and Cáceres(of this final metropolis from the start of the thirteenth century).
The custom is that yearly, we provide a rose and, because the Nineteen Twenties, a ebook 1 . This custom is rather more current within the territories of Catalonia, the place this custom has continued. Since 1995 , UNESCO has made it World E-book and Copyright Day 2 .
Sant Jordi additionally corresponds to the nationwide day of Aragon, the patron saint of this area. Floral choices and festivities happen there.
On April 23, Barcelona celebrates the competition of books, roses and lovers. In Catalonia, Worldwide E-book Day is a very romantic day of festivities. This is a chance for the Catalans to rejoice their patron saint, Sant Jordi, and to rejoice this curious fashionable custom within the streets. If you wish to know extra about this occasion, its origin and one of the simplest ways to get pleasure from it, we invite you to proceed studying.
What’s the Feast of Sant Jordi and when does it happen?
This competition, which takes place within the spring – April 23 -, is likely one of the most authentic in Catalonia. It’s an eminently fashionable competition that mixes tradition with romanticism, and celebrates the ebook and lovers on the identical day . On today, it’s customary for {couples} to change presents: the lads obtain a ebook and the ladies a rose. However it’s more and more widespread for lovers to supply one another each roses and books , no matter gender.
Barcelona takes on the air of a huge bookstore and an enormous open-air flower store. Within the streets, the group rushes previous the stands of books and roses, in search of a present for the beloved particular person, but in addition for household and associates. All through town, stands supply the newest publications from publishing homes, established authors signal their work and the air is perfumed with the candy scent of roses.
What are you able to do and go to in Barcelona on April 23?
It is a super day to walk round city and benefit from the get together ambiance. Make sure to take a stroll alongside Las Ramblas , Paseo de Gracia, Paseo de Sant Joan and Rambla de Cataluña . There are lots of ebook and rose stands there, whereas literary actions, workshops and recitals punctuate your journey. Additionally, you will have the chance to attend sardanas (conventional dances) and castells (human towers), particularly in Sant Jaume sq.
The feast of Sant Jordi can be a possibility to go to well-known buildings such because the City Corridor , the Palau Güell , the modernist website of Sant Pau , the Ateneo or the Palau de la Generalitat, which normally manage particular actions or open days with free excursions.
Casa Batlló is likely one of the most emblematic buildings. On its facade, Gaudí depicted the legend of Saint George slaying the dragon, the origin of the feast of Sant Jordi.
What’s the origin of this competition?
This competition owes its originality to a mix of traditions relationship from completely different durations . To the truth that Sant Jordi (“Saint George”) has been the patron saint of Catalonia because the fifteenth century is added the legend of Saint George slaying the dragon to avoid wasting the princess and the inhabitants from the fury of the animal (in accordance with the legend, crimson roses emerged from the physique of the animal crossed by the sword of Saint George, who supplied one to the princess) and the traditional medieval customized of going to the Chapel of Sant Jordi within the Palace of the Generalitat , the place a good for roses or “lovers” normally happened. Because of this, in Catalonia, Sant Jordi is also called the patron saint of lovers.