Easter week in Alcañiz

Alcañiz, in the province of Teruel, is one of the nine villages that make up the Route of the Tambor and the Bombo (drums).

During the Easter week celebrations, the sound of drums can be heard in every corner of these villages in the south of the Aragón Region. On Good Friday, at around 1pm, the procession of the Prégon (announcement) gets underway, with thousands of drummers accompanying religious images through the village streets. That same day, in the evening, the Soledad procession is held: the drums beat out an atmosphere of sadness and devotion, and their sound continues right through the night, creating a unique noise. The drum rolls can be heard on Easter Saturday too, accompanying the Santo Entierro procession, where you can see Jews, Roman guards, biblical figures and women dressed in traditional regional costumes, carrying “tortas benditas” (blessed cakes). With the ceremony of the “closing of the tomb”, in memory of Christ’s sepulchre, the drums stop beating until the following year.Easter week is one of the most heartfelt and deep-rooted fiestas celebrated in Spain. This commemoration has centuries of history and tradition, remembering the passion and death of Jesus Christ. The streets of the majority of Spain's cities, towns and villages become the stage for religious fervour and devotion, combining grief and meditation in memory of Christ's death. Music, art and colour come together in magical processions - solemn parades in which crowds of people accompany religious images on their route through the streets.