{"id":1620,"date":"2019-05-21T13:49:11","date_gmt":"2019-05-21T13:49:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonjourbarcelone.fr\/?p=1620"},"modified":"2022-10-31T14:10:47","modified_gmt":"2022-10-31T14:10:47","slug":"merce-barcelona","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonjourbarcelone.fr\/en\/merce-barcelona\/","title":{"rendered":"Merc\u00e8 in Barcelona: 5 unique days of festivities!"},"content":{"rendered":"

If there is a not-to-be-missed celebration in Barcelona<\/strong>It's the Merc\u00e8 festivities!<\/p>\n

5 days to celebrate Barcelona's patron saint.<\/p>\n

The official day is September 24, but these are 5 consecutive days filled with folk dances, citywide activities, human towers, fireworks...<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

And the list goes on!<\/p>\n

Because every year, this party is even more impressive and beautiful!<\/strong><\/p>\n

Called in Catalan visit<\/strong> festa major d'estiu<\/strong>, <\/em>the whole of Barcelona celebrates the Mare de D\u00e9u de la Merc\u00e8 (Our Lady of Grace).<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Here's a short guide so you don't miss a thing!<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

But who is the Virgen de la Merc\u00e8?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The Virgen de la Merc\u00e8 is venerated by Catholics and is also known as the Virgin Mary. Virgin of Mercy.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The 1er<\/sup> August 1218, the Virgin Mary appeared to three well-known Barcelona citizens of the time, including San Pedro Nolasco<\/strong> the founder of theOrder of Merc\u00e8.<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

What does Barcelona's Merc\u00e8 mean?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

In Catalan, \"Thank you<\/strong>\u00a0\"means a service, a helping hand.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

In honor of the Merc\u00e8: the Basilica of the Gothic Quarter!<\/strong><\/p>\n

In Barcelona's old town, I invite you to visit the\u00a0Bas\u00edlica de la Mare de D\u00e9u de la Merc\u00e8<\/strong> which is a magnificent Baroque church dating from 1765, located in the Gothic Quarter, on the edge of the town. Pla\u00e7a de la Merc\u00e8.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Since when is the Merc\u00e8 the patron saint of the district?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The year 1687 was marked by a terrible plague of locusts, and the inhabitants prayed to the Virgin Mary for deliverance.<\/p>\n

And it worked so well that the town was soon free of it.<\/p>\n

The Pope then decided in 1868<\/strong> that the Virgin would be the patron saint of Barcelona.<\/p>\n

And since then, the party has grown to become a truly popular gathering!<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

La F\u00eate de la Merc\u00e8, the biggest street festival of the year!<\/strong><\/p>\n

Commonly known as the summer holidays, the Merc\u00e8 festivities mark the end of summer<\/strong> and the gradual arrival of autumn. The heat will gradually diminish.<\/p>\n

A chance to celebrate one last time!<\/em><\/p>\n

These are more than 500 activities will be organized all over the city!<\/strong><\/p>\n

And for all audiences: children, adults, lovers of Catalan traditions,...<\/p>\n

And they're usually free!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The poster and the preg\u00f3 de la Merc\u00e8<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The Merc\u00e8 line-up is eagerly awaited, because every year it's a Catalan artist<\/strong> who makes it happen.<\/p>\n

Antoni Tapi\u00e8s<\/strong> had this honor, as did photographer Joan Fontcuberta in 2013.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Also, the \"preg\u00f3\",<\/strong> It's the speech that signals the start of the festival, and it's usually a well-known figure from the world of culture who delivers it, before the eyes of thousands of spectators. In 1995, it was Tarik Kupusovic,<\/strong> the mayor of Sarajevo, who launched the festivities.<\/p>\n

And later sociologist Fatima Mernissi and writer Carlos Ruiz Zaf\u00f3n.<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

What Catalan folklore is featured at Merc\u00e8?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

It's Catalan popular culture that's the great queen of the Merc\u00e8 festivities.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

First of all, I hope you get the chance to see a Correfoc! <\/strong><\/p>\n

It's a pyrotechnic festival where participants, called \"Devils\" and \"Dragons\", run around with large flaming sticks. When ignited, the sticks form marvellous lights that escape in thousands of tiny sparks.<\/strong><\/p>\n

It happens in the street and I advise you to protect yourself well so as not to burn your clothes!<\/p>\n

Glasses and hoodies<\/strong> are de rigueur!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Folk dances, called Sardanes<\/strong>are visible in the town's squares.<\/p>\n

Just like the human towers, called the castellers<\/strong> in Catalan, which tend to take place in the middle of the day!<\/p>\n

Participants form towers by building floors with their own bodies. And it's the lightest one, usually a child or a \" l'enxaneta \"<\/strong>which climbs to the top of the tower.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

It's a feat that's interesting to watch, and requires a lot of practice.<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sculptures of giants<\/strong> (kings, queens, noblemen) are also out and about, strolling through the town to the sound of brass bands.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

And so many others!<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The highlight: fireworks on Montjuic<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Don't miss the show that marks the end of the festivities at the magic fountain of Montjuic<\/a>\u00a0!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Getting around during the Merc\u00e8 festivities<\/strong><\/p>\n

I really advise you to use public transport and especially metros with optimized service and 24-hour operation<\/strong> especially for the event.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

La Merc\u00e8 or Sainte Eulalie?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

You may hear that Barcelona's patron saint is not the Merc\u00e8 but Saint Eulalie.<\/p>\n

And those who tell you this will not be entirely wrong, because Eulalie is the town's patron saint.<\/strong><\/p>\n

While Merc\u00e8 is the patron saint of the Barcelona district.<\/p>\n

Sainte-Eulalie is celebrated on February 12.\u00a0<\/em>! It's also an important festival in Barcelona!<\/p>\n

But the Merc\u00e8 festivities are clearly more important!<\/p>\n

And the rain that sometimes falls during these festive celebrations is sometimes attributed to the tears of Saint Eulalia, momentarily forgotten by the people of Barcelona...<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Who was Sainte-Eulalie?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Sainte-Eulalie came from Sarri\u00e0, a town on the outskirts of Barcelona. the persecution of Christians under Emperor Diocletian<\/strong>. She was imprisoned and tortured.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

What happens on February 12?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The town celebrates Sainte-Eulalie with a series of dances, correfocs, human towers and giant processions.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Where to see Sainte-Eulalie<\/strong><\/p>\n

You can see the Saint in the alleyway La bajada de Santa Eulalia <\/em>in the old town.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Si il y a bien une c\u00e9l\u00e9bration qu\u2019il ne faut pas rater \u00e0 Barcelone, ce sont les f\u00eates de la Merc\u00e8! 5 jours pour c\u00e9l\u00e9brer la Sainte-patronne de Barcelone. Le jour officiel est le 24 septembre mais ce sont 5 jours cons\u00e9cutifs remplis de danses folkloriques, d\u2019activit\u00e9s pr\u00e9vues dans toute la ville, de tours humaines, […]<\/p>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1617,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-1620","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-activites","8":"entry"},"yoast_head":"\nMerc\u00e8 de Barcelone\u00a0: 5 jours uniques\u00a0de f\u00eates \u00e0 vivre absolument !<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Vous trouverez dans cet article toutes 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