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Moros y Cristianos de Monforte del Cid

Monforte del Cid, El Vinalopó Mitjà, Alicante

1 Villages · 2 Monuments · 3 Activities · 2 Curiosities · 1 Historical milestones · 1 Food and drink

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Moros y Cristianos de Monforte del Cid

Activity · Monforte del Cid, El Vinalopó Mitjà, Alicante

Image of Monforte del Cid, not of the place itself.

The Moors and Christians festival of Monforte del Cid is held from 5 to 9 December in honour of the Purísima Concepción, patron saint of the town, and is designated a Fiesta de Interés Turístico Provincial (an official recognition of a festival's tourist interest at provincial level). Its origin lies in the medieval military alarde, which gave way, around the 18th century, to the soldadesca: the first festival in honour of the Purísima was held on 8 December 1769, when the bishop of Orihuela replaced the traditional patron saint, Saint James, with the new devotion, and the festival moved from July to December. The current name has been documented since 1881. After periods of suspension, the festival became established from 1968 onwards, with the founding of the three current comparsas (companies): Moors, Christians and Smugglers. One of its central events is the Embajada ("Embassy"), which each comparsa declaims and performs.

5-9 de diciembre

Photo: Ramón T. Berenguer (CC BY-SA 4.0)

What to see and do in Monforte del Cid