Monday, 11 June 2012

The Feast Of San Isidro In Madrid, Spain

A lot of exciting activities happen during the month of May in Madrid. This is because the feast of San Isidro takes place during this month. San Isidro is the patron saint of Madrid. The entire month of May is filled with fiestas in various parts of Madrid. The common celebrations that take place are dances and concerts held in the open air. The Plaza Mayor is a very popular venue for these outdoor celebrations. The plaza is filled with locals that are dressed in the traditional attire of Madrid. They dance the chotis where the women dance slowly and gracefully around the men who dance in place. It is a very exciting dance to watch as the men and women dance in a very courtly manner.

During these festival dances the women wear frilly dresses that show off their curves and on their heads they wear headscarves. The men wear jackets that are black and white in color that they pair with waistcoats. The men also wear caps and white neckerchiefs to these dances. This traditional attire of the locals is called chulapos. Aside from the dancing, the food is also a major part of the celebration of the feast of San Isidro in Madrid. During the festival, the Plaza Mayor is lined with barquilleros or organ grinders that sell sweet treats while proudly wearing their traditional San Isidro attire.

The barquilleros sell sweet wafer treats called angel’s bread or barquillos. They are sold plain or dipped in delicious chocolate. The barquillos symbolize San Isidro who has always been known to be a very generous man for always handing out food to the hungry and less fortunate. This sweet treat has been a part of the San Isidro festival for a long time. Concerts are also a part of the celebration of the feast of San Isidro and they are often held at the big park that is located near the city center. The concert has a rock theme and attracts a large audience every year. The park has a smaller venue called the Las Vistillas,spain villas  which is located beside the Palacio Real. This part of the park also hosts concerts every night during the festival.

During the feast of San Isidro, the basilica de San Isidro receives a large number of visitors. Tourists as well as locals from Madrid visit the basilica to pay their respects to the remains of both San Isidro and Santa Maria dela Cabeza, his wife. The basilica was built in the 17th century by Francisco Bautista. The design of the church is Baroque style and has twin towers. The designer of the church is Pedro Sanchez who patterned it after the Gesu of Rome.

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