Sant Jordi's Day in Barcelona
Roses, books and love: never missing in Barcelona on April 23. The International Book Day Becomes Catalonia in a particularly romantic festive day. It Is When The Catalans celebrate their patron saint, Sant Jordi, Going on the street to meet a curious popular tradition. If You Want To Know consisting of, what is its origin and how to enjoy it, we invite you to continue reading.
During the spring you can participate in one of the most original celebrations of Catalonia, Sant Jordi. This is a party marking popular character, which combines culture and romance. That day, April 23, custom dictates that couples exchange gifts: men receive a book and a rose women. Thus, Barcelona becomes during this time in a huge library-flower outdoors. The streets are filled with people walking between bookstalls and roses, looking not only his gift for your loved one, also for family or friends. Throughout the city you will find stalls with the latest publications, see established authors signing copies and, of course, smell the scent of roses.
THE ORIGIN
The origin of this curious party is a mix of traditions from different eras. It matches the one hand, the fact that Sant Jordi since the fifteenth century is the patron saint of Catalonia; on the other, the famous legend of St. George and the Dragon; and also the old medieval custom of visiting the chapel of Sant Jordi Palace of the Generalitat, where it is used to make a fair of roses or “love”. For this reason, Sant Jordi is also known as the patron saint of lovers in Catalonia.
This is a day to be seized to visit the Palace of the Generalitat, because it celebrates a day of open doors. In the noble gallery inside, of course, you will have the opportunity to acquire roses, as several positions charitable installed. Also, on this day you can enjoy the concert of popular music of the carillon. The program of activities of the institution also includes the official mass in the chapel of Sant Jordi and the blessing of roses in the gothic courtyard of the building.
