Home
Newsletter
RSS Map
Privacy Policy
Contact Us
Your name
Your E-mail

We will never expose your E-Mail address or offer it to any third party

Spanish Capital Hosts “Funeral” of Sardine in XVIII Century Tradition

comments (0) article print view
publisher
send to friends
add to favorites
post comments
Travel Articles >> Events
Travel Articles >> Curiosities
Travel Articles >> Locations >> Europe >> Spain >> Madrid
The tradition appeared during the reign of Carlos III (1716-1788), when Madrid authorities decided to treat citizens of the capital with free sardines in Casa de Campo. Sardines turned out to be rotten. However, citizens of Madrid kept their temper, since sardines were served with unlimited amount of wine. In the end, tipsy participants of the festival jokingly managed to obtain spades and “buried” the rotten sardines.

Nowadays, comic “funeral” is held in the following manner: about one hundred imposing men, dressed in the fashion of 19 century – with black top hats, black Spanish gowns “capa” and walking sticks – are slowly walking along the central streets of the city accompanied by the funeral march, performed by the brass band, following the procession.

Participants of the funeral are members of the so called Merry Brotherhood of Sardine Funeral. The only way to obtain membership in this elite brotherhood is to inherit it from a deceased relative. Citizens who usually stop to look at the unusual procession are thrown caramel.

The procession is led by an elder Spaniard with a coffin of the shoe-box size in his hands. The coffin contains the fake sardine to be “buried”. Participants of the procession demonstratively sigh, wipe their tears with white handkerchiefs and say with a singing accent: “Dear sardine, why did you leave us, poor wretches, to the mercy of fate?

During the procession it is customary to visit the Mayor’s Office, since the Mayor is the honorary Chairman of the brotherhood. After that procession goes to the park area Casa de Campo and buries the sardine. A merry picnic is organized as the funeral repast.
[Get This Article]
Most Viewed Articles in Events, Curiosities, Locations:Europe:Spain:Madrid categories:
  1. The Most Interesting World Museums
  2. An Elephant Gave a Lesson to the Rude Tourists
  3. Best Amusing Incidents in the Field of Tourism in 2007
  4. About 60 thousand people kissed simultaneously in Venice
  5. Suicide Palm-Tree found on Madagascar
  6. The Most Absurd Trip in the World
  7. A “Hut on Mechanical Legs” was invented in Denmark
  8. The Museum of Laziness Opened in Colombia
  9. The most ridiculous laws of the planet
  10. The most dangerous and disgusting delicacies
  11. The most working world countries
  12. First "women" hotel in Saudi Arabia
  13. Snowmen Are Made in Emirates
  14. A tourist-hooligan was washing a glacier during half a day
  15. Wanna have a rest in the nuthouse?
This article has been viewed 136 time(s).
Article Submitted On: February 6, 2008
The most attractive cities of the world for living
Best cities for living
Best world airports
The most sexy world beaches
The Safest Places in the Plane Determined
Copyright © 2008 TripSpirit.com. All rights reserved.