The splendour of a 16th century city. Over 3,000 citizens in period costumes and 60 shows a day with over 500 actors transport us to the Tortosa of 500 years ago.

In the second half of July, Tortosa celebrates the Renaissance Festival. Under the title the Splendour of a 16th Century City, the Festival commemorates, through a wide range of cultural and recreational activities, the historical period of the 16th century, one of the most interesting periods in our city’s existence.

Thanks to the rich artistic and cultural heritage of the 16th century, every year we can be transported to a now disappeared world of aromas, flavours and customs. The old town is transformed; noble buildings and ancient walls are extravagantly adorned while the people finish building their taverns, preparing the ovens and getting their period costumes ready; the attorneys –the local government- and noble families show off and strut through the streets of the city they rule.

The ovens and hearths of the restaurateurs, bakers and confectioners recover ancient recipes which they offer to visitors and diners. Medieval cuisine is present throughout the festival, both in the restaurants which take part in the Mengeu de Festa (Festival Feast), the bakeries and confectioners that prepare Les llepolies de la Festa (Festival Sweets) and in taverns of La Ruta de la Saboga (Route of the Shad), which recreate the most popular meeting points.

Artists, musicians and travellers from all over the place liven up the streets and animate the palaces and noble buildings of the city with shows and performances. Itinerant groups arrive and others that recreate the daily life of the Modern Age in their camps or workshops, where they live during the Festival. There are performances constantly throughout the day; any street, square or corner is a suitable stage where you can find the most varied performances.

Meanwhile, all sorts of acts and ceremonies take place. The attorneys take their oaths, the Trasts for the defence of the city, with their colours and banners, led by the flags of the City and the Vegueria, parade through the streets, and noble families go to the jousts for their amusement. The whole city is a vast stage that takes us back in time to the splendour of the sixteenth century; a city that has been given its history from the link provided by the River Ebro to the Mediterranean Sea; a multicultural city open to the world via water, proud of its past and its ancient history, which it commemorates during the Renaissance Festival to the cry of:

Terra d’aigua

Terra d’un riu.

Visca la Vegueria de Tortosa!

Visca!

(Land of water

Land of a river.

Viva la Vegueria de Tortosa!

Viva!)

The Renaissance Festival has received numerous awards, including the declaration of Festival of National Tourist Interest, Local Festival Interest of Local Tourist Interest and the Plaque of Honour from Catalonia Tourism. A perfect excuse to enjoy four days of festival and discover the rich historical and cultural heritage and landscape of Tortosa and the south of Catalonia.

Forthcoming dates:

2013 – From 18 to 21 July

2014 – From 24 to 27 July