How to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Day in Madrid?

Plaza Mayor of Madrid

Panoramic of the Plaza Mayor in Madrid

The next October 12 will take place the Spanish National Holiday or, as it is popularly known, 'Hispanic Day'. On the occasion of this celebration, a multitude of activities have been prepared in Madrid related to music, culture and the State security forces and bodies.

In case you are going to visit the capital of Spain on Wednesday, we propose these interesting leisure plans to spend the day with family or friends and enjoy the National Holiday. But first, let's remember what October 12 consists of and some curiosities of this party.

What is celebrated on October 12?

On October 12, 1492, the navigator Christopher Columbus landed on the island of Guaraní, in the archipelago of the Bahamas, together with his men and began a cultural and fraternal bridge with America that continues to this day.

When celebrating the IV centenary of the discovery of the continent, in 1892 under the regency of María Cristina, it was proposed through a Royal Decree to make this event coincide with the National Holiday of Spain and the reasons for this were explained.

The chosen date, October 12, symbolizes the historical anniversary in which Spain, about to conclude a process of State construction based on our cultural and political plurality, and the integration of the Kingdoms of Spain into the same Monarchy, begins a period of linguistic and cultural projection beyond European limits.

Hispanic Day or National Holiday?

Popularly known as 'Hispanic Day' the truth is that since 1987 it was established by law that what is celebrated in Spain is the National Holiday, not to mention hispanidad.

However it was not always so. There was a previous Royal Decree of 1981 that spoke indistinctly of Hispanic Day and National Holiday. And even before that, October 12 was called 'Columbus Day', a name that is still preserved in some Spanish-American countries.

The first time that Columbus Day was spoken of was in January 1913 when the Madrid Ibero-American Union association issued a leaflet in which it was asked to unite all Spanish-speaking peoples in a unique party to commemorate it together.

The idea caught on in Latin America and during the first decades of the twentieth century on the other side of the Atlantic it began to be established on October 12 as a holiday in their territories, using the name of 'Day of the Race'.

Activities planned for October 12

Military parades

legion

Those who are passionate about the military theme have two unavoidable appointments on 'Hispanic Day'.

  • Starting at 11 in the morning, the traditional military parade will take place in the Plaza de Neptuno with the presence of the most important authorities in the country. The units of the Army, the Army, the Army of the Air, the Royal Guard, the Military Emergency Unit and finally the Civil Guard will parade there.
  • Starting at 11am. and until 17pm. You can see the change of the Royal Guard in the Palacio de Oriente, decked out for the occasion. The relay will be made at the Puerta del Príncipe of the Royal Palace specifically.

Musical concerts

hispanidad-music

  • Starting at 12.15:XNUMX p.m. the Madrid Marine Infantry music band will offer a concert at the square of Neptune.
  • The Buenavista Palace Gardens They will host, for their part, the marching band of the King's Immemorial Infantry Regiment No. 1 from 12.30 pm.
  • From 12.30 p.m. in the Discovery Gardens The bands of the Barracks Directorate, the war band of the Legion Brigade and the Regulares will play.

Cultural events

Madrid Prado Museum

Museo del Prado

The Cervantes Institute (Alcala street) will honor Hispanic Heritage Day with an open house from 11.00 a.m. until 21.00:XNUMX p.m., where you can also visit various exhibitions related to great Spanish writers such as Miguel de Cervantes or Camilo José Cela.

In addition, October 12 will be an excellent occasion to spend a day between museums, since they will remain open for free on the occasion of the National Holiday. Among them, the Museo Nacional del Prado, the Centro Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza or the Museo del Traje. Likewise, both the Sorolla Museum and the Museum of Romanticism will extend their hours on Wednesday.

Escorial Monastery

Escorial Monastery

On this day, several Royal Sites are also scheduled to open their doors with uninterrupted guided tours. The Royal Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, the Palace of Aranjuez, the Royal Palace of La Granja de San Ildefonso or that of Riofrío are some of them. Also the Royal Palace, which can be accessed for free to see the Royal Armory as well as the temporary exhibition on Bernini and Caravaggio from 17pm. until 20pm.


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