La Mercè ( Catalan pronunciation: [lə məɾˈsɛ] ) is the annual festival ( Catalan : festa major ) of the city of Barcelona in Catalonia , Spain . It has been an official city holiday since 1871, when the local government first organized a program of special activities to observe the Roman Catholic feast day of Our Lady of Mercy (Catalan: La Mare de Déu de la Mercè ). Although the actual feast day is September 24, the festivities begin a few days beforehand.
12-854: Royal Plaza , Royal Square , or similar may refer to: Public places [ edit ] Plaça Reial , Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain Place des Vosges , Paris, France, originally Place Royale Place Royale, Brussels , Belgium Place Royale, Reims , France Place Royale , Quebec City , Quebec, Canada Royal Plaza (Bangkok) , Thailand Royal Square of Esfahan , Iran, now Naqsh-e Jahan Square Royal Square, St Helier , Jersey, United Kingdom Hotels [ edit ] Royal Plaza Hotel (Florida) , U.S., now B Resort & Spa Royal Plaza Hotel (Hong Kong) Royal Plaza Hotel (Nakhon Ratchasima) , Thailand, which collapsed in 1993 Other uses [ edit ] Royal Plaza (Surabaya) , East Java, Indonesia,
24-533: A shopping mall Place du Royaume , a shopping centre in Saguenay, Quebec, Canada See also [ edit ] All pages with titles beginning with Royal Plaza All pages with titles beginning with Royal Square All pages with titles beginning with Place Royal Queen Square (disambiguation) King's Square (disambiguation) Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with
36-667: Is a popular meeting place in the summer, during the annual La Mercè festival in September when open-air concerts take place, and during other celebrations such as New Year's Eve . The original building on the site was the Capuchin convent of Santa Madrona, which was demolished in 1835. Royal Square was then designed by Francesc Daniel Molina i Casamajó later in the 19th century. The square is twinned with Plaza Garibaldi , in Mexico City . The square's lampposts were designed by
48-564: Is a square in the Barri Gòtic of Barcelona , Catalonia , Spain . It is close to La Rambla , and is a popular tourist attraction, especially at night. The plaza hosts many restaurants and some of the city's most famous nightclubs, including Sidecar, Jamboree, Karma and the historic and reinvented speakeasy cocktail bar Nou Pipa Club. The square is the site of the Hotel Roma Reial and is also known for its many outdoor venues. It
60-515: The Sardana . The holiday has enjoyed immense local popularity ever since. Among more recently introduced traditions are the annual Catalan Wine Fair, a special correfoc , a 10 km race and the pyro-musical, a display featuring synchronized fireworks, water fountains and music conducted at the base of the Montjuïc mountain . The celebration of La Mercè has religious origins, honoring
72-632: The Middle Ages . When in 1687 Barcelona suffered a plague of locusts, the Consell de Cent , which then governed the city, voted to ask the Virgin for assistance with their fight against the insects. When the city was delivered from the pestilence, she was named patroness of the city of Barcelona — although this was only recognized by the Pope in 1868. Since that time, an annual festival has been celebrated in
84-471: The Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí . 41°22′48″N 2°10′30″E / 41.380°N 2.175°E / 41.380; 2.175 La Merc%C3%A8 Some of the most important features of the festival were introduced in the year 1902, when parades included papier maché "giants" known as gegants i capgrossos and a popular dance from Empordà that was becoming popular throughout Catalonia:
96-491: The Virgin of Grace ( Mare de Déu de la Mercè ), patron saint of the archdiocese of Barcelona , and co-patroness—along with Saint Eulàlia —of the city. In Catalan, the word mercè has meanings related to service, help, a sense of compassion, and loving mercy. In the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona, there is a basilica dedicated to the Virgin, where a wooden image of her is venerated. The festival has been celebrated since
108-434: The city in honor of the Virgin. During the week-long festival, close to two million people attend cultural and artistic presentations held throughout the city. The most traditional activities of the festival are based in the popular culture of Catalonia . Especially noteworthy are the street parades, originating from the spectacular processions which took place centuries ago for the celebration of Corpus Christi. Each day of
120-523: The events. In order to bring Barcelona's people closer to different cultures, each year, through the "Guest City" program, another city from elsewhere in the world is invited to present its culture and artists. In 2013 the Guest City was Vienna. Castellers are human towers and a prominent part of La Mercè. Castells , Catalan for castles, are a cultural phenomenon particular to Catalonia and consist of erecting human towers. This tradition originated at
132-410: The festival is celebrated with its own parade filled with mythical characters and traditional drumming. There are about 600 events spread throughout the plazas, streets, museums, and parks. All entertainment is free. Barcelona's metro trains run all night during the festival. Street theater is a distinct element of the artistic events. Dance, circus, bands, fringe, and touring shows make up the bulk of
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#1732772981249144-682: The title Royal Plaza . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Royal_Plaza&oldid=1240851066 " Categories : Disambiguation pages Place name disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Pla%C3%A7a Reial The Royal Square (in Spanish : Plaza Real ; in Catalan : Plaça Reial )
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