The Holy Week of Easter in Zamora stands out for the quality and antiquity of its sculptures, the feeling of the town’s citizens and the night-time and early morning parades that the Penitential Brotherhoods carry out. The old traditions are maintained, as is the case of certain notorious characters such as "El Merlú" or "El Barandales". The well-lit diurnal processions indicate the way for many barefoot people who show their faith, while an eerie silence mixed with impressive musical moments fill the atmosphere.
Visiting Zamora
Zamora is a place of contrasts: nature and Romanesque art that shows us a Zamora of the past that, in part, is possible to relive. Among the popular festivals of Spain is Easter, declared a Festival of International Tourist Interest in Zamora. Of course, its gastronomic specialties must also be highlighted, such as the famous cheese of Zamora.
In the centre of the city we find its most popular streets, which have shops, Romanesque buildings and churches full of charm, such as the Church of Santiago del Burgo. In addition, something curious about Zamora is that it has an Easter Museum, where all the wooden sculptures that will be paraded around are exhibited.
The key points of Easter in Zamora
The processions of Zamora are lived with fervour. The faithful take over the streets to be close to their Virgin and listen with real enthusiasm to a devotional saeta sung from the soul. It is one of the most popular festivals in Spain and is the perfect excuse to discover the city.
The processions usually take place at night and the parades take place along cobblestone streets among the silence of their faithful. The statistics about the brotherhoods are incredible, showing that half of the population of the city are members, which shows a surprising faith.
The so-called “Drunken Procession” takes place at 5 o´clock in the morning. Thousands of brothers distribute caramelised almonds among those present, as tradition demands, and is one of the most popular processions there are. Another of this city’s many curiosities revolves around the Cathedral of Zamora, when on Holy Wednesday the brothers make their vow of silence before the impressive sculpture.
Gregorian chants in the Plaza de Viriato, "El Barandales" which is present in all the processions with their wide garments and their huge cowbells, as well as the imposing procession of the Capas Pardas, are just some of the moments that emerge from the overwhelming Easter celebrations in Zamora.