Colors of Cordoba - traditions, festivals, mentality and lifestyle

Cordoba is a wonderful city with an abundance of interesting traditions and indescribable national flavour. In summer, an unusual holiday is held here, and there are no others resembling it in any other city in the country. We are talking about the Patio festival; this colorful festival has an interesting history. Nowadays it attracts a large number of curious travelers. In summer months, an exhausting heat falls on Cordoba and on many other cities of Spain. To find salvation from the hot sun, locals have decided to equip their homes with cozy courtyards with fountains that are called patio.

Today, small courtyards can be seen literally everywhere, locals and tourists retire near fountains where it is always a pleasant coolness in the middle of the day. Thanks to an old tradition requiring decoration of patio with flowers, some patios are simply drowning in colors of fragrant plants. In 1932, locals decided to hold an interesting contest and compete in the art of decorating a patio. Since then the fascinating festival has being held every year. Space is decorated with the most unusual floral arrangements, hedges and flowers in pots. Some of the brightest young talents beautify walls with panels with intricate floral patterns, while others mount garden pots with lush flowering plants on facades.

It is notable that an entrance to courtyards in festival days is free. Local people cordially welcome visitors to pop into their homes and to evaluate their design talent. Beauty of the patio is rated not only by ordinary passers-by and curious travelers, but also by the strict jury. To win the competition, it is necessary not only to decorate the original court, but also to comply with a set of strict rules. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

It is necessary to use as many different colors as possible; flower bunches have to be arranged in accordance with certain rules. One of special conditions for registration is the presence of fountain in the patio, without which participants are not allowed to enter the competition. It is strictly forbidden to use artificial flowers for decoration; for violation participants can be withdrawn from the competition. Festival is held in the middle of summer and usually lasts for seven days. On the last day of the competition jury selects the winner, who receives a large cash prize.

Where can be held a festival dedicated to guitar, the national Spanish musical instrument, if not in Cordoba? The event is called Festival de Córdoba-Guitarra and starts in late June, ending at the beginning of next month. The best guitarists from all over the world come to the city at this time to show all their skills of playing the instrument - not only the classical six-string one but also flamenco guitar and its medieval version. In addition to concerts, master classes from eminent guitarists, as well as conferences and presentations, are prepared for the audience. And all this happens in the Gran Teatro de Córdoba.

The beginning of May, or more precisely the third day of the month, is marked in Cordoba (just like in many other Spanish cities) by a beautiful festival called Cruces de Mayo. At this time, the Old Town streets are beautifully adorned with crosses decorated with flowers, and the townspeople compete for the best “flower cross”. At the end of the holiday, the winners are honored and rewarded with prizes. The cross itself is symbolic and is associated with the Byzantine Empress Helena's search for the cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified. By the way, she can safely be called an archeology pioneer.

Batalla de las Flores is another local holiday celebrating the imminent arrival of summer, which eagerly awaited by all citizens. This one-day parade of local people dressed in carnival costumes also takes place in May. Of course, all of them bear flowers, after which the festival is named. Gypsy costumes (trajes de gitanas in Spanish), flamenco, and bullfighter traditional clothes can be seen here among others. Before the start of the procession, ladies throw thousands of flowers into the air, after which young man carefully hand them back.

At the end of May, another significant event lasts for a week - namely, Feria de Cordoba. All who have ever dreamed of plunging into the true atmosphere of medieval Spain with its street market, lively flamenco dances, and carnival, can fully experience it here at the fair. It is worth noting that in terms of colorfulness the festival is in no way inferior to the famous Feria de Abril in Seville and has some specific features: for example, during a holiday in Seville, a tent (called casetas) can only be entered by invitation, unlike Cordoba tents, which are completely open to the public. Throughout the celebration, the city is beautifully decorated, which gives it an extraordinary charm.