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City of Sculptures and Sound
Between 700 and 800 fallas (sculptures) are erected throughout the city, each representing a neighborhood or community. These impressive creations are made of wood, papier-mâché and other combustible materials.
Throughout the festival, hundreds of thousands of banging fireworks are set off, turning the city into a symphony of continuous bangs and crackling sounds. One of the most exciting experiences of the festival is the Mascletà, a fireworks show that takes place during the day, and is not about the visual effects, but purely about sound. Every afternoon, thousands of people gather in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento to feel the earthquake-like vibrations of the synchronized explosions. Tip; the closer you get to the mascletá itself, the more impressive you will experience this sensory event. No other festival in the world sounds like Fallas.
The origins of Fallas date back to the Middle Ages, when local carpenters cleared out their workshops at the beginning of spring and burned excess wood and materials. Over the centuries, this simple custom grew into the impressive artistic tradition we know today. The high day of the Fallas takes place on March 19, Father's Day and the feast day of St. Joseph, patron saint of carpenters.
Within each falla are ninots; smaller figures that are part of the larger structure. These ninots often depict humorous or satirical scenes, making fun of politicians, celebrities and current events. At the end of the festival, one ninot is saved from the flames by the public and kept in the Fallas Museum. This museum, by the way, is worth a visit.
The Fallas festival lasts one week and attracts millions of visitors from all over the world. Valencia transforms into a vibrant, non-stop celebration of tradition, art and fire, and without a doubt, a spectacle you must have heard and seen.
Fallas in Figures
- 700 to 800 is the average number of fallas sculptures built each year.
- 20 meters and more is the height some structures reach.
- 300,000+ fireworks blasts go off during the festival.
- 1,000,000+ lights lit to illuminate fallas
- For 7 days, the Fallas celebration continues.
- Millions of visitors from all over the world come to the Fallas.
La Nit de la Cremà
The highlight of the festival is La Nit de la Cremà (Night of the Burning), when all the Fallas sculptures are burned in a breathtaking display of fire and tradition. Firefighters are on standby to keep the fire under control, while the city watches in admiration as Valencia is illuminated by this spectacular farewell to Fallas.
On the evening of March 19, the smaller fallas are lit first, followed by the larger monuments. The very last falla to go up in flames is the one in Plaza del Ayuntamiento, marking the official end of the festivities. In direct proportion to the temperature, emotions rise, and Valencians weep with pure emotion when the fallas they have worked on all year go up in flames.
In short; with its mix of tradition, spectacle and immense scale, the Fallas are much more than just another festival; it is an unforgettable experience that sets Valencia ablaze every spring and that you must have experienced at least once.
For those heading toward Fallas, we'd like to offer a few more tips:
