Moors and Christians, Festival
Moros y Cristianos
Alcoy (province of Alicante, Valencian autonomous community)
Alcoy is a city located in the province of Alicante, in Spain along the valley of the river Serpis. The first traces of human presence in the area date to c. 60,000 years ago, when Neandertal hunters settled here. After the Roman conquest of the Iberians, several rural villas were built in the area, as well as a necropolis. The town was established in 1256 by James I of Aragon, with the construction of a castle on a strategic position over the Serpis river, to secure the southern frontier of the Kingdom of Valencia during the Reconquista. Many outdoors rock paintings exist in Alcoi, and there are some ruins of an Iberian settlement with fragments of Greco-Roman pottery.
The Moor and Christian Festivity is an old tradition of the city of Alcoy, devoted to the commemoration of the Cristians’ victory over the Muslims and miraculous apparition of St George, who helped the Christian soldiers. According to the traditions, the origins of the festival go back to the 1276, when St George intervened in the battle to defend Alcoy from the Al-Azraq Moslem attack. After the battle the locals built a chapel and dedicated it to the Saint, and St George became saint patron of the city. Perhaps, from those times the city has been honouring him every year, first as a strict religious commemoration, which grew into the big festivity with many traditional activities and parades. The three days of the festival include several joyful parades with participants in the traditional costumes, involving children and adults. On April 24 the reenactment of the battle takes place, with skirmishes and castle assault, and with the solemn apparition of “St George”, which closes the festivity.
Please contact the Organizers for confirmation and further details.
Info & Contact
Association/organization name: San Jorge
Address: San Miguel, 60-62, 03801 Alcoy, province of Alicante, Spain
Tel.: +34 965540580 | Fax: +34 965541055