Salamanca information
La Alberca: The Festival of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción
Once a year, the traditional festival of Nuestra
Señora de la Asunción is held in the village of
La Alberca, and it has been declared of national tourist interest.
The colourful offerings and the praise to the Virgin are the main
themes of the celebrations.
On 15th, the inhabitants, dressed in traditional costumes and
there is music and dancing in front of the Virgin, whose image
is placed in the Plaza Mayor so she may observe the celebrations
and the offerings. The families and the foremen make their offerings
to Nuestra Señora de la Asunción. The men must touch
one knee to the ground in a sign of devotion three times before
and after making their offering. The colours and variety of the
costumes are the most impressive part of the festivities, in which
each individual piece has its meaning, from the buttons to the
earrings to the hairclips. The festivities of the day are concluded
with lively traditional and folk dancing.
The 16th is the day of giving praise, a sacred act which the citizens
of Alberca carry out themselves and which lasts an hour. The central
characters of the celebrations of praise are the funny figure
and the demonic figure, a grotesque caricature who rides a dragon
and who will end up losing in battle to the archangel San Miguel.
Source: Web server of Instituto de Turismo de España, TURESPAÑA.