Spanish holidays and traditions. Spanish traditions

The culture and traditions of Spain differ significantly from cultural heritage, customs and spiritual values ​​of other European countries. Numerous tourists are attracted by the colorful atmosphere, temperament, friendliness and friendliness of the local population.

What are the features of the culture of Spain

Thanks to a special geographic location culture is endowed with unique originality, richness and beauty. The territorial location on the border between Africa and Europe, the shores washed by the warm Mediterranean Sea and the soft Atlantic Ocean - all this is reflected in the traditions and customs of hospitable Spain.

The multi-year stratification of cultural layers occurred due to the influence of various peoples and religions. The culture of Spain is a unique combination of the folklore heritage of the ancient Romans, Greeks, and Arabs. The Spanish style "Mudéjar" is a symbiosis of architecture, painting, music, expressed through international cultural characteristics.

spanish architecture

Historical buildings are diverse, dictated by the fashion trends of different periods. The culture of Spain is widely represented in monumental buildings: Gothic cathedrals, medieval castles, luxurious palaces. By number worldwide famous monuments Spain is in second place behind Italy.

A must see for curious tourists Arc de Triomphe and the house of Casa Lleo Morera in Barcelona. Heading to Valencia, you can not miss the fortress gate Torres de Serrano, built in the XIV century. The step pyramids of Guimar, located on the island of Tenerife, amaze the imagination with their scale and remain an age-old mystery to mankind. Arab minaret Giralda with the Golden Tower is a symbol of Seville. The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostella houses the ancient relics of Saint James, after whom the historic structure is named.

Features of the culture of Spain are reflected in modern buildings. The Agbar Tower, the building in the form of a fish by the architect Frank Gehry, "Bin Laden's house" - this is a small list of world famous works architectural art worthy of representing their country.

Spanish visual arts

The art of Spain has left a wide mark in the world history of culture. The works of the Golden Age brought the worldwide fame of painting. These include masterpieces of the religious genre created by the artist El Greco. No less famous are such creators as Francisco Ribalta, Diego Velazquez, Bartolomeo Murillo , Jusepe Ribera . Artistic traditions were subsequently continued by the brilliant work of Francisco Goya. An invaluable contribution to modern Art paintings were made by Salvador Dali, Juan Miro, Pablo Picasso and Juan Gris.

Spanish literature

During the Golden Age, the culture of Spain is enriched by outstanding works literary genre. Glory to his homeland brought the author of the famous "Don Quixote" Miguel de Cervantes. No less famous are the literary heroes of Felix Lope de Vega, Pedro Calderon de la Barca and Miguel de Unamuno. Modern literary fame was supported by the playwright and poet Federico Juan Goytisolo, Miguel Delibes and Camilo José Sela, who became the laureate Nobel Prize. The art of dramaturgy was glorified mainly thanks to Ramón del Valle-Inclan.

The culture of Spain is noted thanks to the success of domestic cinema. The director, the author of the masterpiece "Andalusian Dog", for forty years of his film career has created a whole gallery of world-famous works. The fame of the master was strengthened by such authors as Pedro Almodovar and Carlos Saura.

Spanish music

Spain is one of the oldest musical countries in Europe. Amazing originality of song genres, instrumental music, the dance art is driven historical features this land. During the initial period of its development musical culture Spain included various directions peculiar to certain provinces. Over time, diverse cultures became more and more intertwined with each other, forming a special Spanish style, noticeably different from all others.

Since the beginning of the 13th century, the music of Spain has been known for the art of playing the guitar. Today, the traditional musical instrument is represented by two types: flamenco and acoustic guitar. Contemporary music contains at its core the origins of folklore, which distinguish Spanish works with originality and recognizability.

Classical works developed in the sixteenth century, taking church melodies as a basis. At the beginning of the 20th century, composers Enrique Granados, Isaac Albeniz, Manuel de Falla brought pan-European fame to Spanish music. Modern classical singing art is represented by the brilliant voices of Montserrat Caballe, Placido Domingo and José Carreras.

Flamenco

The temperamental and incendiary style of flamenco is the traditional music of Spain, born in Andalusia. It is presented in three directions: songs, dances and playing the guitar. The style was based on ancient gypsy ritual dances, which were inherited, preserving their traditions and enriched with new musical colors.

Today, flamenco dances are presented in the form of musical performances filled with semantic content, with the expression of special sensuality and passion. The indispensable attributes of dance numbers (long dresses, colorful shawls, fans) help to better express feelings and emphasize the folk origin of the style. Often, flamenco dances are accompanied by rhythmic sounds of castanets, clapping (palmas), expressive playing on the cajon drum.

The flamenco dance culture combines several different musical patterns under one name. A characteristic feature of the Spanish style is an obligatory element of improvisation, which allows you to create completely unique works of dance art.

Festivals and holidays in Spain

The ancient origin and richness of cultural manifestations determine the bright beauty and originality of national holidays. musical country annually holds a variety of festivals, carnivals and processions.

In February, a nationwide carnival is held, especially vividly represented on the island of Tenerife. The eve of the Easter holiday is not complete without many religious processions and religious processions, decorated with colorful and colorful paraphernalia.

The most famous festivals are held in summer and autumn: music, theater, dance. Tomatina can be attributed to the category of original events - a holiday of tomatoes, on which a grandiose tomato massacre is held.

bullfighting

To cultural heritage Spain, of course, should include the famous bullfight - bullfighting. The spectacular event is represented by a spectacular performance, which includes centuries-old traditions of art based on respect for sacred animals, excitement and mortal risk.

In ancient times, bullfighting was an obligatory element of national holidays. Today it is a whole art that embodies the Spanish spirit and national identity. The beauty of the bullfight is akin to a ballet dance, where the bullfighter shows his skill, courage and talent.

Beautiful people, glorifying the history of their country for many centuries, created and continue to support the national heritage, whose name is the culture of Spain. Having briefly reviewed creative directions human activity, it is impossible not to be imbued with deep respect for the Spanish people, who carefully preserve and multiply cultural traditions of their homeland.

Surely, this is the special beauty of this country, which is incomparable with anything else!

Spanish traditions and customs mean a lot to the people. One of the most interesting traditions- sleep after dinner. The Spaniards call it "siesta". All in the afternoon state institutions banks and shops are closed. Schedule a business meeting at this time is not accepted. Even in Spain they love the old tradition - paseo. Following it, the locals make evening walks around the city. They go out into the street in the evening not just like that, but to meet friends. Osio is an idle conversation after a walk in the street.

On the European continent, Spain occupies a special geographical location that has influenced its culture. Spanish culture is influenced by many other cultures. It originates from the Greeks, Romans and Muslims.

After marriage, Spanish women do not take their husband's surname, but remain on their own. Therefore, children have a double surname - the first of the father, the second of the mother. In Spain, the first son is traditionally given the name of the father, and the daughter is given the name of the mother.

The wedding ceremony here is arranged according to the same principle as in other countries, although it is very difficult to get a divorce. Those families that decide to officially separate must wait five whole years.

People are buried in Spain quite differently than in other countries. Funerals go pretty fast. The body of the deceased is not interred, but "niches" that are rented are used. That is, the coffin with the body enters the cell, where it will be until the relatives pay the rent. If the fee is not paid on time, the coffin leaves the cell and is transported to a common cemetery for burial. The vacated place will be taken by another deceased, whose relatives can pay for his "storage".

Spain professes mostly Christian faith, almost 77% of the population are Catholics and only 1% are Protestants. In Spain, there are other religions, in most cases - Islam.

Three pillars of Spanish culture: bullfighting, flamenco and football

Bullfighting and Ensierro

The first association that comes to mind at the mention of Spain is, of course, bullfighting. Bullfighting is a bullfight and the most popular of all existing traditions in Spain. It is she who combines the culture of many countries. Corrida was brought here by the Greeks and Phoenicians. It can be compared to sports. It has evolved over the centuries and now has a long history.

This truly Spanish entertainment frightens many foreigners with its cruelty, and they understand it. deep meaning only Spaniards. This spectacle, in its temperament and beauty, is not inferior to flamenco, and in terms of excitement it far surpasses even the most exciting and intense football match. Bullfighting can be compared to a theater where everyone plays their part.

Spaniards have a love for strong feelings in their blood, and it is this love that attracts them to bullfighting, but not cruelty. Where else, if not in a bullfight, so many conflicting passions rage? Torero, passionately loving and respecting the bull, must kill him in order to prevent the bull from killing himself. This dramatic and, in fact, ambiguous spectacle has been a source of inspiration for artists and musicians, writers and directors for many centuries. This unusual action reflects the unique Spanish spirit. Bullfighting is an integral part of Spanish culture.

Today, bullfighting is part of the culture of the Spanish people. At first, it was a fight between a bull and a man sitting on horseback, but only then the man went out to the bull himself. A person who fights a bull on the field is now called a matador. Nowadays, bullfighting is a special tradition and a whole ritual in Spanish culture.

encierro

Bullfighting is not the only entertainment involving bulls. For example, in the capital of the autonomous region of Navarre - the city of Pamplona, ​​every year in July, the encierro festival is held. At this holiday, everyone can pass a kind of test of courage. This holiday looks like a mass escape of the male population of the city from a herd of ferocious bulls. The length of the dangerous route is 1 km. The Spaniards themselves consider encierro to be a celebration of the initiation of young men into men, therefore, mainly young men participate in this action. According to the Pamplonians, it takes a lot of courage to run ahead of the bulls, and it is in the process of this unpredictable race that young people overcome their cowardice and become real men.

Flamenco

Spanish culture is both incendiary and passionate Flamenco dance. It originally originated in Andalusia. Most people believe that the gypsies danced it. From the moment of its inception to the present day, this hot and bright dance is performed to the heartfelt melody of the guitar. Flamenco dance has become true manifestation culture of the people of Spain, which is connected with the global culture. Flamenco is the soul of Spain.

In these passionate dances and songs, joy is intertwined with despair, and love borders on hatred. All this is able to feel every person and know the Spanish language, while not necessarily. The musical and dance style of flamenco owes its origin to the gypsies.

In the 15th century, they came to Spanish lands from the East, bringing their dances and music, which combined Jewish, Byzantine and Arabic motifs. Flamenco is a way of life and a way of expressing positive and negative emotions. The essence of flamenco is songs accompanied by guitars, which express deep human emotions - love and suffering. Vocal performance illustrated passionate dances flamenco - with the help of movements, the performer conveys the meaning of the song even brighter.

The modern art of flamenco has been significantly supplemented by major themes, now it is a colorful theatrical spectacle, in which good dancers and singers. In terms of its spectacularity and intensity of passions, it is flamenco that is considered the closest to bullfighting.

Football

Another integral part of the national culture of Spain is football. Despite the fact that this sport originated in England, nevertheless, it was the Spaniards who made it passionate, artistic and colorful. Football is a cult pastime in Spain. Tension excitement, awe, bouts of joy, replaced by disappointed sighs - all this is experienced by every Spaniard at the sight of his favorite sports performance. All spanish boys early childhood playing football. Spanish national team players count national heroes, and they know everything about each of them, including the names of their families and even pets. Spanish football players go to every game as if they were going to the last fight to the death, with blazing eyes and an invincible will to win. One of the most important elements Spanish football is artistry.

Scoring goals, giving passes, taking away balls and performing any other actions on the field, any player remembers every second that he is also an actor, and the audience expects him to demonstrate acting skills on a par with acting skills. With facial expressions, graceful falls, the manner of rejoicing at a scored goal, all Spanish football players turn a sports game into a colorful theatrical performance. The players of the Spanish league try to make the simplest game elements beautiful, technical, subtle and laid-back. Most stadiums in the country are named after football players, and the Spanish football team is a national pride.

Others, no less important features Spain, are the fiesta and festivals that play a special role in the life of the Spaniards. More than 3,000 different fiestas and festivals are held annually in this country. Each event has special meaning for public life Spanish people. In Spain live cheerful people who love both festivals and fiestas. Each city or village has its own festival. It may take more than one week. What costumes are worn for the fiesta? What performances can be seen there? Great music and incendiary dances, rich Spanish cuisine! At the largest festivals, you can see flamenco dance, fireworks, bullfights, musical competitions and many other exciting spectacles.

Family way

Children in Spain are literally the center of the family and often even a connecting element between representatives of different generations. Interestingly, the birthday is celebrated twice: the first is the usual date of birth, the second is the name day. Moreover, the second holiday is often much more colorful and "more important" than the first, since almost all Spaniards get their names in honor of a saint. Since even within the same family there can be many namesakes, name days turn into a common “event” for almost everyone, and not just for the “hero of the occasion”.

In Spain, the role of women has traditionally been high both in the household and in public and Everyday life. Legislatively, spouses have absolutely equal rights, and there is a strong historical basis for this - since the Middle Ages, according to Castilian law, women had equal rights with men to inheritance and property. They could freely manage their property independently of their husbands and just as freely transfer or donate it. In marriage, the woman's property was traditionally transferred to the husband, but unmarried women or widows could own their property quite independently. This is where many of the well-marked features in the relationship between the sexes come from. Spanish women can hardly be considered the most emancipated in Europe, but the fact that they are in no way inferior to men either in politics or in business is clearly visible to the naked eye. Moreover, many areas, such as education and the media, as well as municipal government, are practically “farmed out” to the fair sex, and the Spaniards themselves only support this.

A striking feature of the high status of women can also be the tradition not to change the surname in marriage. However, this system can be difficult to understand due to the ubiquity of double and compound surnames, so characteristic of the Spaniards. Children most often receive the first surname of the father, to which the first surname of the mother is added. The picture is aggravated by the same complex names, often made up of names that seem impossible to a foreigner - for example, the name José Maria can be found in both men and women (in the latter, however, much less often - they are usually called Maria José in this case) . In various documents common to the whole family, a woman often signs her husband's surname (usually with the article "de"). And after the death of a spouse, she often leaves her husband’s surname completely (while adding “viuda de” - “the widow of such and such” before the husband’s surname), which sometimes eventually forms completely unimaginable constructions of 2-3 names and 2-4 surnames, which also does not contribute to ease of perception. However, in everyday use and business etiquette usually only the first surname is used. A characteristic feature that slightly facilitates the understanding of all this diversity is the tradition of naming the first son by the name of the father, and the daughter by the name of the mother. In order not to get confused already in this monotony, the Spaniards use numerous variations of nicknames, which are often “glued” to a person for life (Pepe, Ronaldinho, Manolo - all from this series).

It is easy to guess that such a confusing system of names and surnames leads to real chaos when looking for a person, especially in a reference or, even worse, in a telephone directory. Not only are all subscribers identified by the first surname, the “range” of which is generally small, but then the second surname and first name follow, the latter often being reduced to the first letter. As a result, entire pages of the directory are filled with exactly the same "requisites", among which it is simply impossible to find the right subscriber. However, the problem with finding an organization is even more difficult, since they are often recorded not under the name or trademark, but under the name of the owner.

Weddings in Spain are arranged according to the same principles as in all the rest. European countries Oh. But divorce is a more complicated procedure. Either both parties agree to it, and then the registration is delayed “only” for a couple of years, or a divorce is undesirable for one of them, and then various tricks are used. But even then, earlier than after 5 years, the formalization of a break in relations is not worth waiting for - a Catholic country after all.

Etiquette in Spain

A lot of clichés and rumors usually cause the concept of "Spanish temperament", which is most clearly manifested in the traditional manner of speaking loudly for this country. Moreover, in loud speech and shouting, they simply do not see either a threat or an expression of emotions - this is what they say almost always and everywhere. At the same time, the Spaniards themselves are very friendly and benevolent, and raised tones are just a traditional method of communication. The Spaniards are not shy about expressing their feelings openly, and the expressiveness of speech and gestures play an important role in this process. Unlike many other European countries, the concept of "you" almost does not exist - even to people who are much higher in status or age, it is quite possible to refer to "you". Also, a Spaniard can speak quite freely with a stranger on the street, and in the provinces it is often found old tradition greet everyone you meet.

When meeting with well-known people, a whole spectacle is often played out - the Spaniards can slap each other on the shoulder for several minutes, hug and noisily express great joy. But it is not customary to show resentment or frustration - this is a purely personal matter and it should not concern others.

When meeting and parting, a man and a woman, or two women, it is customary to designate a kiss on both cheeks (namely, designate, not kiss!) And wish a good day, take an interest in each other's affairs and in every possible way emphasize the joy of meeting. When meeting a guest, they say bienvenido a .... (“welcome to ...”), sitting down at the table - buen provecho (“buen probecho” - literally “good use”). During the toast, say chin-chin or salud (the latter - if the toast is pronounced in someone's honor). However, the word salud (salud) is quite universal here - it is customary to use it both as a sign of greeting on the street, and as a wish for health, and as a response to someone's appeal. In response to gratitude, de nada (“de nada” - for nothing) is most often used. On the street, they usually greet with the traditional Hola (“ola” - “hello”), Buenos dias (“buenos dias” - good afternoon) or Buenas tardes (“buenas tardes” - “good evening”, used at any time of the day after lunch) . Interestingly, in writing, greetings are accompanied by as many as two exclamation points- at the beginning of the phrase inverted, at the end - ordinary.

When communicating with the Spaniards, it is recommended not to touch on certain topics, such as death or bullfighting. The first is a taboo purely due to religiosity local residents, in the second, it is easy for a foreigner who is little versed in this type of entertainment to "press the wrong pedal." You should not mix personal conversation and formalities - here it is customary to clearly separate working relationships from friendships, personal from public. Do not ask about the age of not only ladies, but also men. Most Spaniards are very proud and easily offended, and discussing the difference in age can be seriously taken as an indication of unsuitability for any action. Local residents, by and large, have little interest in life outside their country, and foreigners as such, too, so all their questions should be considered a sign of courtesy, nothing more.

It is highly discouraged to criticize the royal house - the Spaniards are very respectful of the ruling dynasty. Also, do not touch on religion, and even more so football - here the locals have a whole system of hierarchy and preferences, likes and dislikes, which is simply impossible to understand. You should not raise the topic of money, wealth or income level - this is not accepted, as well as complaining about your poverty or pointing it out to others. It is very risky to start talking about politics - despite all the seeming calm in society, Spain is very politicized, and many topics either have a rather specific connotation or can hurt the interlocutor's national identity. By the way, all these features should be perceived as overly generalized, not forgetting that Spain is a multinational country, and in every corner of it the set of customs and traditions, and therefore the behavior of people, can be very different from the above.

Spaniards are extremely polite people, especially in public. Giving up a seat on a public transport is considered a courtesy and is highly valued, especially in relation to strangers (it is almost impossible to see an elderly person standing in a tram here). Also feature is the desire to hold the door in front of the trail or let the woman go ahead - the Spaniards take this for granted. On the other hand, it’s not at all shameful to go without a queue anywhere - this only speaks of the status of a “violator”, albeit ostentatious, but important for him, than about his impudence.

What is the cuisine of the Spaniards?

Perhaps few people know that Spanish dishes do not contain many spices, but it is not tasteless and not appetizing. Tourists who want to try Spanish cuisine will be offered delicious fish and meat dishes, as well as poultry. Paella is considered a popular dish. It is made from rice that is tinted with saffron and olive oil. In addition, vegetables are added. Hot chocolate is served for dessert in Spain. He is very loved in the country. Delicious Spanish wines are known in many countries. For their preparation, special varieties of grapes are used.

January 1 New Year
In Spain, this is the middle of the holy period, or, as the Spaniards call it, the sacred twelve days, beginning on December 25 with Christmas and ending on January 6 with the Day of the Magi.

During this period, several more religious holidays, such as, for example, the Day of the Holy Innocent Infants celebrated on December 28, similar to April Fool's Day in many other countries, or St. Sylvester's Day, which takes place on New Year's Eve, when one is not supposed to work so as not to cause trouble.

Spaniards celebrate New Year's Eve not at home, but, most often, on the streets filled with celebrating, in bars and restaurants, at discos and festivities. After a gala dinner with the family, the Spaniards go to the main city square, in Madrid - this is the Sun Gate, where, according to the almost hundred-year-old tradition, 12 grapes are eaten to the beat of the clock, each of which symbolizes a successful coming month. You have to eat a grape every three seconds after the clock strikes. At the same time, you still need to have time to spit out the bones before the clock ends. Unfortunately, there is no raisin in Spain, and every time someone chokes on the bones. It is believed that New Year's grapes bring good luck and drive away evil spirits. The strike of the clock and views of the festive square are broadcast on TV, and those who could not or did not want to come to the square eat grapes after the host of the festive broadcast at the table.

The tradition comes from the city of Alicante, from where it then spread to the whole country. The history of Spain remembers the year 1909, when there was such a large harvest of grapes that merchants, even by lowering prices, could not completely unload their cellars, clogged with baskets of grapes. In order not to lose potential profits, the merchants started a kind of PR campaign, according to which everyone who eats one grape with each stroke of the clock will ensure happiness in the coming year.

Another rather young tradition is dressing red for the holiday. underwear(pants, socks, garters).

The Spaniards' New Year's dinner, or the dishes served on New Year's Eve in bars and restaurants, depend primarily on the region. In Segovia, for example, a festive homemade dinner includes soup for the first, followed by chicken specially fed for this purpose, and richer families bake turkey instead of chicken. In Madrid, the basis of the New Year's table is various seafood, and the culmination of dinner is baked lamb. But you won’t be able to try garlic soup that night in any restaurant in Spain, despite the ardent love of the Spaniards for this dish. It is believed that the smell of garlic can scare away the coming year. But the Spanish halva turron, with raisins, chocolate or nuts, as well as polvorones, marzipan, and other sweets are served everywhere. In addition to the fact that they have an amazing taste, they, according to legend, also bring prosperity.

Another ubiquitous dish, without which, probably, not a single Spanish holiday can do at all is jamon. Jamon is a dry-cured Spanish ham, our ham, in our opinion, is the basis of Iberian cuisine. The pork ham is salted for a long time, dried for about a year, then dried for another year under strictly defined conditions, which leads to the creation of one of the most consumed meat delicacies in Spain and the most famous delicacy in the world.

And, of course, in the country of wine on New Year's Eve, wine is the most consumed drink. If at the beginning of the last century, not very wealthy families drank wine or liqueurs on New Year's Eve, and only Catalans or wealthy people could afford a bottle of cava, today the tradition of uncorking a bottle of Spanish champagne has firmly become fashionable among all segments of the population.

Is it worth mentioning fireworks, salutes, firecrackers and firecrackers, if the annual Fallas festival, held in Valencia, during which the city lives exactly on a volcano, speaks better than any words about the Spaniards' love for a festive roar? On New Year's Eve, all of Spain shines with numerous fireworks, garland lights and the smiles of those celebrating.

January 6 is Magic Kings Day in Spain
This holiday has another (international) name - Epiphany. This is the Greek name for the feast of the Baptism of the Lord (the Western Church calls it Epiphany), dedicated to the baptism by John the Baptist of Jesus Christ in the Jordan River. This holiday is called Epiphany because during the baptism three persons of God appeared: God the Father testified about the baptism of God the Son, and the Holy Spirit, in the form of a dove, descended on Jesus, confirming the will of the father. The feast of the Epiphany entered the church calendar in the middle of the 2nd century. and was first celebrated along with the Nativity of Christ, and in the 4th century the celebration of Christmas was moved to December 25th. For the feast of the Epiphany, the same date was preserved - January 6th.

In Spain, this holiday is called the day of the magician kings. This name is associated with three pagan magician kings, Caspar, Melchior and Belshazzar, who came with gifts to bow to the newborn Jesus in Bethlehem. It is these characters who become the main characters in the celebration of Epiphany.

On January 5, on the eve of the Epiphany, magnificent festive processions pass through the cities and large villages of Spain, the length of which can reach several kilometers. Kids with drums go ahead of the parade, followed by adults with children on huge carriages, followed by a brass band. This procession is closed by a carriage with three magician kings. They generously distribute sweets and toys to children running after them. In different regions of Spain, the parade takes place in different ways: somewhere the kings are accompanied by a military escort and a military band, somewhere they enter the city on camels. One thing remains the same in all places of celebration of the Day of the Three Kings - this is children's joy, fun and expectation of gifts, because in Spain they are like Santa Claus in Russia.

After the festive parade, the children, together with their parents, set the table for the night, to which, on the night of January 5-6, magician kings come to eat. Children polish their shoes stuffed with straw to a shine and put them out of the door as a sign of the table set for kings. Having tasted the treats, the kings leave gifts in their shoes and continue on their way. If the child's behavior this year was not satisfactory, they pour coal into them. By the way, these are also sweets, outwardly almost indistinguishable from pieces of real coal. They are sold in Spain everywhere at this time.

The traditional treat is the bagel of kings. They are baked different sizes sometimes very large. The bagel, which can in principle be a cake in this form, is cut into pieces and distributed among family members. The piece in which the chip will be is happy. Usually parents take care in advance that such a piece goes to the child.

Also, children must write a letter to the kings on the eve of the holiday.

On the day of Epiphany, according to tradition, the Spaniards illuminate water, incense and chalk, with which they write the first letters of the names of magician kings on the door of their house: "K + M + V". According to legend, this drives away evil forces and evil thoughts from the house and keeps the family well-being. This chalk is stored all year round. And the tradition of burning bonfires - "Epiphan fires", illuminating the "path of the Magi" is still preserved. According to legend, the magician kings make a journey on foot across the country and head to Bethlehem. Three Kings Day marks the end of the Christmas holidays in Spain.

February 2 Our Lady of Candelaria
The Day of Our Lady of Candelaria begins its history on the island of Tenerife.

Even before the conquest of the Canary Islands by the Spaniards, the Guanches found a statue of a beautiful woman on the ocean. She became their sanctuary. Spanish conquistadors, having broken the resistance of the Guanches, they decided that the statue of Our Lady, although black, was the shrine of the Guanches.

In the town of Candelaria, the Spaniards built a chapel for the statue, which stood there for many years - until a storm swept it into the sea along with the statue. Since by that time pilgrimages had become traditional, they made a copy of the statue and built a temple for it. Along the embankment next to the temple rise 9 bronze statues Guanche chieftains who ruled Tenerife before the Spanish conquest.

There are temples of the Madonna of Candelaria in many cities of the world, for example, in Rio de Janeiro.

March 15 Fallas in Spain
Fallas is the name of the Valencian spring festival. Of course, the end of winter is celebrated not only in the Valencian community, but throughout Spain, however, there is something in Fallas that significantly distinguishes it from other similar holidays. Something that attracts to the city, in the period from March 15 to 20, numerous tourists (in 2004 there were about 2 million people, with Valencia's own population of 800,000).

Fallas is a solemn, or better to say festive burning of huge dolls on the night of March 19-20 (March 19 is the Day of St. Joseph, patron of Valencia). The burning of the dolls is the culmination of the holiday, which begins on March 1 with a parade of pyrotechnics. In the first days of March, the sky of Valencia looks like a Christmas tree, pyrotechnic fireworks are so numerous and beautiful. In addition to professional teams of pyrotechnics, competing among themselves for the most deafening and spectacular fireworks, special teams dressed in black shirts and checkered scarves around their necks also walk around the city. They throw small bombs, firecrackers and crackers at the feet of all passers-by, and, as in the case of Tomatina, the fact that passers-by or tourists do not know about the tradition of celebrating Fallas does not save them from unexpected explosions under their feet. But the roar overhead and underfoot seems not enough to the Spaniards, and the inhabitants themselves are also taking an active part in turning the city into a small volcano for these few days. Firecrackers are thrown by everyone, regardless of age and position in society: adults, children, old people, students and bank employees, and all this lasts for more than one day!

After the pyrotechnic parade, the next stage of the Fallas celebration begins - the offering of flowers as a gift to the Holy Patroness of all the defenseless. For three days, the inhabitants of the city bring flowers to the square of the Holy Virgin, where a huge figure of the Virgin with the Baby in her arms is installed. The area in front of the figure and the figure itself, women decorate with flowers, laying out beautiful patterns on clothes, hands, the face of the Holy Virgin and her baby with gladioli, carnations, cyclamens, lilies and other types of flowers. During this offering, the inhabitants put on their National costumes, while women dress up in bright, colorful handmade costumes adorned with beads, pearls or corals. If women are the main decoration and actor on the offering of flowers, then the men in these three days are assigned the role of assistants. They help to carry and ceremonially set up on the square large flower arrangements that arrived in Valencia from the regions and regions, and also take care of organizing the orchestras.

At the end of these three days big stadium preparing a huge paella for the whole city. In general, during the Fallas, the main culinary dish is donuts with chocolate, which are sold around the clock throughout Valencia. Between these two first stages of the Fallas celebration, and during them, too, various carnivals, masquerades and competitions are held. For example, they choose the queen and princess of the holiday among the most beautiful girls and girls, respectively. Then these beauties, who are called fireworks, will give the order to start the main event of the Fallas.

The main event, called La Crema, will take place on the night of March 19, and starting from March 15, preparations are underway for it. On the streets of Valencia, compositions of huge figures, fallas, are arranged, which gave the name to the holiday. These figures, or dolls, are portrayed in a satirical spirit by famous politicians and actors, TV presenters and bullfighters. Sometimes they ridicule any human vices or events of a city or country. These compositions can reach a height of up to 20 meters and are created by professional teams of designers, artists and carpenters. Moreover, today in Valencia there are even special factories where they create these dolls. Dolls are made from flammable materials: cardboard, paper, plywood, papier-mâché, and work on them begins immediately after the end of the holiday.

These huge dolls are installed throughout the city, on every street. With the help of cranes, compositions of large figures are placed, and small ones are placed side by side manually. These figures are colorful, with ribbons, in magnificent costumes, and their number in 2004, for example, reached 800 pieces. It's easy to imagine what Valencia looks like when all the figures are set, and colorful ribbons ripple in the eyes! Naturally, from March 15 to March 20, all roads are blocked in Valencia, and it is simply impossible to drive in the city by car. The figures will stand under the admiring glances of residents and tourists for three days, during which one large and one small doll will be selected, which will avoid the fate of the others and will be placed in the Fallas Museum, in addition, their authors will receive an award from the city hall.

At 22.00, by order of the Queen of the holiday, small figures begin to burn, and at midnight, large ones are also burned. For these three or four hours, Valencia turns into a huge blazing fire. The glow from hundreds of dolls, evenly spaced throughout the city, can be seen far from Valencia itself. The annual labor of dozens of people burns out in a few hours. But this is such a beautiful and exciting sight that not a single master regrets the time spent on making fallas. When the last doll burns out, another one, the last salute, is heard. A grandiose, impressive salute, which the city hall cherished whole year, lasts for an hour.

This is where the Fallas ends, but as soon as the ashes are cleared from the streets, preparations will begin for the next celebration of this vibrant, springtime holiday.

Good Friday
Good Friday is celebrated on the Thursday before Easter. This is one of the main Christian holidays which is dedicated to the memory of the death of Jesus Christ on the cross, the removal of His body from the cross and burial.
Good Friday and Saturday are the only two days in the calendar of the Catholic liturgy when there is no mass, since these days are the mourning of the death of Christ.
This holiday is widely celebrated throughout Spain. Each region has something different about it, but everywhere it is characterized by numerous processions, some of which are theatrical. Some represent a complete story of Christ (for example, the Main Procession of the Torment of the Savior in Valladolid.
Of course, this day is an official public holiday throughout the country.

April 23 World Book and Copyright Day in Spain
In that day - day After the death of the great Spanish writer Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Spain celebrates Book Day. It turns out that the novel "The Cunning Hidalgo Don Quixote of La Mancha" is the most readable book in the world after the Bible. A jury of 100 writers from 54 countries, which included several Nobel laureates, put him ahead of the works of Homer, Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Kafka, Faulkner.

On the eve, in the Hall of Columns of the Fine Arts Club of Madrid, according to a long tradition, collective readings of Don Quixote begin. The readings are usually started by the winner of the most prestigious Cervantes Prize in the Spanish-speaking world. For two days, several people continuously take turns reading aloud immortal work Cervantes. Leading cultural figures, statesmen and ordinary citizens take part in this ceremony.

Literally at every step you can find tents selling books by the legendary Cervantes.

San Jordi (Saint George's Day) in Spain
This is the colorful Spanish equivalent of Valentine's Day. On this day, festive Barcelona is literally strewn with bouquets of red roses. According to tradition, young men give their girls red roses, and girls give books to young men.

The holiday is associated with the legend of how St. George killed the dragon and gave the princess a red rose that grew from a drop of dragon blood.

On the same day, the "Battle with the Dragon" is arranged. On the square in front of the Cathedral of Barcelona, ​​a flock of dragons sits peacefully all day, allowing walkers to take pictures with them in an embrace, and children to pull their tails and teeth. And at midnight they begin to crawl in the darkness to the center of the square, crowding the audience. Then they begin to hiss, snort smoke and fire, showering the audience with burning spray ... Then St. George will defeat them, and as a sign of defeat, a bouquet of roses will grow from the mouths of the dragons.

May 1 Workers' Day
Spain, along with many other countries, celebrates International Workers' Day or International Work Day or simply the first of May.

The celebration of the first of May, generally similar around the world, comes down to demonstrations and rallies of the working class.

Workers celebrate the adoption of laws regulating laws for employers.

In 1956, Pope Pio XII supported this holiday by declaring the day a feast in memory of San Jose Obrero (San José the Worker).

July 6 Saint Fermin in Pamplona
From July 6 to 14, Pamplona celebrates a feast dedicated to Saint Fermin, a bishop who lived in the 13th century and who once saved Pamplona from the plague. Being at first purely religious, over time, the holiday turned into a colorful folk festival.

Citizens, dressed in Basque national clothes - white trousers and shirts, belted with red scarves, in red berets and with red scarves around their necks, fill the square in front of the municipality in the morning. At noon on July 6, when a flare is fired from the City Hall balcony, a lavish celebration begins. "Glory to Saint Fermin!" - proclaims the adviser in Spanish and Basque. The crowd echoes him. Then the audience open the bottles of champagne they brought with them and begin to pour over each other with a fizzy drink heated in the forty-degree heat.

On this day, musical concerts and performances, performances of "peñas" ( musical groups playing ancient instruments), fireworks and mask parades; the whole city is filled with fun for a few days. There are so many celebrants that, due to overcrowded hotels, they have to sleep on the streets.

The next day, on the 7th, a solemn procession with a statue of Saint-Fermin takes place, and a religious mass is served in his honor. Although all festive and religious events are impressive and beautiful, the bull run is the most impressive sight of this holiday.

Encierro (from the word "locked") - this is the name of the mass bull races that take place every day on the streets of Pamplona during Saint Fermin. Every morning at 6.30 am, the townspeople wake up to the music of orchestras. And exactly at eight, the bulls delivered to the city the day before, which will take part in the evening bullfight, are released from the pen, arranged in one of the districts of the city. Once upon a time, this dangerous game was a simple drive of fighting bulls to the bullfighting arena. Today, the bulls are simply let out of the corrals onto the narrow streets fenced with special fences, along which they rush to the arena. And in front of them are hundreds of city residents and tourists who have decided to test their courage and physical fitness in such a dangerous way, and at the same time increase the adrenaline content in the blood.

Some time before the start, spectators take safe places on the roofs of houses and porches, on kiosks and lampposts. Seats on the balconies along the race route cost a hefty sum and are sold out in advance. Participants in the race, which can be anyone, dress in white shirts and red bands around their necks, and hold their only weapon in their hands - a newspaper. With this newspaper, experienced runners divert the attention of an angry bull that is aiming at their comrades. And when the bull turns to them, their comrades render them the same service. Exactly at eight in the morning, the gates of the corrals are opened by a signal rocket, releasing a crowd of six hundred kilogram bulls, distraught from the noise and flickering. The second shot means that all the animals have left the pen.

The Spanish Fighting Bull is not simple cow or breeding male. This is a special breed, bred over several centuries, with incredible aggressiveness, rushing to any annoying movement. These animals never retreat and always attack, regardless of who they consider the enemy. After opening the pen, the bulls see a chaotic crowd in front of them, which drives them into a state of extreme frenzy, and with all their huge mass and sharp horns they strive to destroy this irritant. This is really a very dangerous game, in which there is practically nothing for a person to oppose a bull, and given that many tourists not only do not know the streets along which they have to run, but also take part in the drunken race, it becomes clear why not a single encierro does without casualties.

The city authorities repeatedly tried to ban this event, but in 1867, under pressure from the public, they were forced to make the bull run an official part of the celebration of Saint-Fermin. But in order to avoid victims, the following rules for participation in the encierro were adopted and published:

1. Only persons over the age of 18 can participate in the race.

2. Participants' access to the competition ends at 7-30 am.

3. If you are not running, do not block the corral's front fence.

4. Do not go beyond the boundaries of police fences and follow all the requirements of the police.

5. Don't wait for the bulls doorways homes, on corners or in shops and bars.

6. Do not run if you are unwell.

7. Do not hold anything in your hands when you run. The only exception is the newspaper.

8. Remember that it is impossible to run the whole distance, the maximum distance you can run is 50 meters.

9. Do not stop in front of other runners or cross their path.

10. Don't tease, touch or otherwise attract the attention of bulls.

11. Do not push or push other runners.

12. If you fall on the run, try to protect your head with your hands, and lie still until the bulls run through. The bull will try to jump over a motionless barrier, and not trample it.

13. When you reach the bullring, move as quickly as possible to the side and get behind the barriers.

14. Do not touch the wounded runners - the doctors will take care of them.

Unfortunately, even following these rules cannot guarantee the safety of runners. A clear example of this is 1924, when 13 people were killed by bulls, and another 200 were seriously injured. But, despite the cruelty of the encierro, every year he gathers more than one hundred thousand tourists in Pamplona, ​​and the number of participants in the races does not decrease at all. Moreover, even those who suffered once in this race come back here again to challenge the bulls and themselves again. The Spaniards call them "aficionado" - sick encierro.

After all the bulls have reached the arena, they will be driven into corrals, and in the evening at half past six these bulls will take part in a bullfight, where they will have to fight with professional bullfighters. The bullfight goes on for several hours. festivities last until late at night. The next day everything is repeated, including the race with the bulls. And so all nine days of the holiday.

To the services of the townspeople - numerous kiosks with food and goods. After all, the feast of St. Fermin is also a traditional fair. Outdoor venues host concerts and theatrical performances. There are various attractions for children and adults. Folklore festivals are held, sports holidays. Fireworks are arranged in the evening.

The celebration of Saint Fermin ends with a solemn mass in the main cathedral of Pamplona, ​​and the ancient hymn of thousands of crowds on the streets of the city on the last day of the holiday.

Tomatina in Spain - August 27
Another name for the holiday is the Battle of the Tomatoes (La Batalle del Tomate).

In the very last week of August in the city of Bunyol, in eastern Spain, the annual "Tomato Festival" begins, dedicated to the outgoing summer. Like all Spanish festivals, this one comes with festive fireworks, music, dancing and free food. But the tomato festival has one distinctive feature that attracts crowds of tourists to Bunyol, this is the culmination of the holiday - the tomato battle of Tomatina, which takes place in the city square.

The signal for the start of the battle is a special firecracker, launched on Wednesday at 11 o'clock from the city hall. At this signal, several trucks appear on the streets of the city, loaded with the main characters of the holiday, ripe tomatoes, which are the projectiles. The participants of the holiday, and this is the whole city of Bunol, running up to the cars under a hail of tomatoes, grab shells and cheerfully take revenge on those who ran to the trucks first.

However, the target can be anyone who is within reach, the main task of the participants, which, by the way, everyone is considered to be, is to bombard the neighbor with tomatoes, and who turns out to be them is not so important. Considering that there are about forty thousand people taking part in this fun, and the number of shells is estimated at a hundred tons of tomatoes, it is easy to imagine what the city square and city residents are turning into just a few minutes after the start of the tomato shootout.

During the fighting, which lasts two hours, almost all bars, cafes, restaurants and any public places, and special plastic panels are hung on windows and doors. The participants of Tomatina themselves prefer reasonable minimalism in clothes, since it is difficult to stay clean on this day even outside the city square. The expression "tomato rivers", often used when describing a tomato rampage, is not a red word at all.

The historical roots of this unusual holiday date back to the time of Franco's dictatorial rule. According to one version, throwing tomatoes at each other served as a symbolic protest against his regime. But most likely, a similar meaning was given to tomato battles later, when the local holiday had already become famous throughout Spain. The very first tomato massacre was recorded in 1945, when, at the celebration of the end of summer in Bunol, a group of young people, through negligence or wanting to have fun, dropped a large figure of one of the parade participants, inside of which was the participant himself. Rising, he did not appreciate the joke and started a brawl, which was quickly joined by his friends. The skirmish took place near the vegetable shops, and the tomatoes immediately became projectiles. The police came to the rescue and dispersed the fighters and forced them to pay for spoiled vegetables, but exactly a year later they gathered in the same place and already with their tomatoes.

Gradually, the tomato shootings became citywide and, despite the dissatisfaction of the police, more and more people took part in them. In 1950, local authorities no longer interfered with the holding of Tomatina, as this day began to be called. But the temperamental Spaniards were not always limited to throwing tomatoes at each other, sometimes influential people also fell under the distribution of vegetables, which led to the ban on the holiday in 1957. Frustrated by this, the Spaniards staged a crowded funeral for Tomatina, at which a huge coffin with a tomato was carried through the streets of the city, and the funeral procession, according to all the rules, was accompanied by an orchestra and mourners. Under pressure from the townspeople, in 1959 the local authorities were forced to lift the ban and recognize Tomatina as Bunyol's official holiday.

At the same time, the rules for holding this holiday were adopted, which are valid to this day. There are only four prohibitions: the beginning and end of the battle are strictly determined by a signal firecracker from the city hall; you can’t throw anything other than tomatoes, and the tomatoes themselves should be crushed before throwing, in order to avoid injury; it is forbidden to tear each other's clothes; you can not interfere with the movement of trucks with tomatoes. Thanks to these simple rules, not a single celebration of Tomatina has led to serious incidents.

Have a good rest and fun!

Various regions of Spain and even individual settlements have their own symbols and heraldry. And this applies not only to coats of arms or symbols, such as the bear and strawberry tree in Madrid, but also to the richest local folklore tradition, which is often tightly tied to a particular place. Here was the best famous battle with the Moors, was killed over there (captured, married, ascended the throne - further to taste) famous hero, and here was the most ancient monastery or palace - there are literally thousands of objects of legends and symbols, and the locals are very proud of them. Gradually, they move to coats of arms, flags, trademarks, stamps and envelopes, becoming an integral part of local culture and life. The characteristic symbols that the whole country respects include numerous saints, a bull and the whole complex of traditions associated with bullfighting (however, the attitude to bullfighting here, oddly enough, is far from unambiguous), figures of fighters for faith - Cid Campeador, King Ferdinand and others, as well as literary heroes like Don Quixote and Sancho Panza from the novel by Miguel Cervantes.

And at the same time, each such element has a clear practical meaning - for example, the colors of the national flag (yellow and red) appeared in 1785 only due to the fact that the panels of such coloring are clearly distinguishable at sea (Spain was one of the leaders of the era of the Great geographical discoveries). And there are hundreds of such examples in every region of the country - the history of Spain is very rich, and there are many reasons for such a clear personification - almost every local symbol has its own explanation. But the Spanish monarchy and the king are symbols that are the same for the whole nation. Respect for the royal house is very great here, and the Spanish monarch himself is one of the most educated and progressive politicians continent. In some cases, the use of the adjective "royal" takes precedence over the term "national", and National anthem is called Marcha real ("Royal March") and has no text!

Settlements

Spain is characterized by a very dense grouping of houses in settlements, which gives even small villages the features of cities. The traditional word pueblo, often translated simply as "village", actually has a much broader meaning - "people", "people", "place", "estate" and even "nationality". Size, obviously, is secondary to the fact that people are concentrated in some place - the main thing, most likely, is precisely the fact of living together in a certain area. In most settlements, and not only rural ones, dwelling houses, sheds, warehouses, shops, schools, town halls and churches are built very close to each other. At the same time, fields, gardens, meadows and pastures lie outside the boundaries of the population center and are referred to by the separate word campo ("environment", "open place", "region", "camp"). Many attribute this to Arab influence with its characteristic "medinas", but more likely the obvious convenience of this type of development in rather difficult local conditions.

Very rarely in Spain you can see a farm type of settlement, or a dispersion of residential buildings in open areas (occasionally this can be found only in the Atlantic regions). Even the vast latifundia (latifundios) of the southern regions have a compact inhabited core with outbuildings (cortijos) and agricultural land surrounding it. This is so characteristic of the Iberian Peninsula that many Spaniards feel something like pity for the inhabitants of remote villages (while not forgetting to scold the crowded cities). Someone associates this with the Spaniards' inherent craving for communication and the traditional evening "paseo" ("walk", "promenade"), someone - with the opportunity to find a more worthy job in the city, but be that as it may, the fact remains - Spanish settlements, even the most modern ones, are difficult to confuse with French or British even at first glance. What is facilitated by the characteristic local style of construction with thick (up to 1 meter!) stone walls houses and thick shutters (the sun is hot here, and the desire for privacy in a dense building is not easy to achieve without shutters and blinds), picturesque patios and characteristic local decor. An indispensable element of any settlement is also the central square (it is interesting that the names of those throughout Spain are almost the same - Plaza Mayor), the church and the town hall.

Family way

Children in Spain are literally the center of the family and often even a connecting element between representatives of different generations. Interestingly, the birthday is celebrated twice: the first is the usual date of birth, the second is the name day. Moreover, the second holiday is often much more colorful and "more important" than the first, since almost all Spaniards get their names in honor of some saint. Since even within the same family there can be many namesakes, name days turn into a common "event" for almost everyone, and not just for the "hero of the occasion."

In Spain, the role of women is traditionally high both in the household and in public and everyday life. Legislatively, spouses have absolutely equal rights, and there is a strong historical basis for this - since the Middle Ages, according to Castilian law, women had equal rights with men to inheritance and property. They could freely manage their property independently of their husbands and just as freely transfer or donate it. In marriage, the woman's property was traditionally transferred to the husband, but unmarried women or widows could own their property quite independently. This is where many of the well-marked features in the relationship between the sexes come from. Spanish women can hardly be considered the most emancipated in Europe, but the fact that they are in no way inferior to men either in politics or in business is clearly visible to the naked eye. Moreover, many areas, such as education and the media, as well as municipal government, are practically "at the mercy" of the fair sex, and the Spaniards themselves only support this.

A striking feature of the high status of women can also be the tradition not to change the surname in marriage. However, this system can be difficult to understand due to the ubiquity of double and compound surnames, so characteristic of the Spaniards. Children most often receive the first surname of the father, to which the first surname of the mother is added. The picture is aggravated by the same complex names, often made up of names that seem impossible to a foreigner - for example, the name Jose Maria can be found in both men and women (in the latter, however, much less often - they are usually called Maria Jose in this case) . In various documents common to the whole family, a woman often signs her husband's surname (usually with the article "de"). And after the death of a spouse, she often leaves her husband’s surname completely (while adding “viuda de” - “the widow of such and such” before the husband’s surname), which sometimes eventually forms completely unimaginable constructions of 2-3 names and 2-4 surnames, which also does not contribute to ease of perception. However, in everyday address and business etiquette, only the first surname is usually used. A characteristic feature that slightly facilitates the understanding of all this diversity is the tradition of naming the first son by the name of the father, and the daughter by the name of the mother. In order not to get confused already in this monotony, the Spaniards use numerous variations of nicknames, which are often "glued" to a person for life (Pepe, Ronaldinho, Manolo - all from this series).

It is easy to guess that such a confusing system of names and surnames leads to real chaos when looking for a person, especially in a reference or, even worse, in a telephone directory. Not only are all subscribers identified by the first surname, the "range" of which is generally small, but then the second surname and first name follow, the latter often being reduced to the first letter. As a result, entire pages of the directory are filled with exactly the same "requisites", among which it is simply impossible to find the right subscriber. However, the problem with finding an organization is even more difficult, since they are often recorded not under the name or trademark, but under the name of the owner.

Weddings in Spain are arranged according to the same principles as in all other European countries. But divorce is a more complicated procedure. Either both parties agree to it, and then the registration is delayed "only" for a couple of years, or divorce is undesirable for one of them, and then various tricks are used. But even then, earlier than after 5 years, the formalization of a break in relations is not worth waiting for - a Catholic country after all.

Etiquette

A lot of clichés and rumors usually cause the concept of "Spanish temperament", which is most clearly manifested in the traditional manner of speaking loudly for this country. Moreover, in loud speech and shouting, they simply do not see either a threat or an expression of emotions - this is what they say almost always and everywhere. At the same time, the Spaniards themselves are very friendly and benevolent, and raised tones are just a traditional method of communication. The Spaniards are not shy about expressing their feelings openly, and the expressiveness of speech and gestures play an important role in this process. Unlike many other European countries, the concept of "you" almost does not exist - even people who are much higher in status or age can be referred to as "you". Also, a Spaniard can speak quite freely with a stranger on the street, and in the provinces there is often an old tradition of greeting everyone you meet.

When meeting with well-known people, a whole performance is often played out - the Spaniards can slap each other on the shoulder for several minutes, hug and noisily express great joy. But it is not customary to show resentment or frustration - this is a purely personal matter and it should not concern others.

When meeting and parting, a man and a woman, or two women, it is customary to designate a kiss on both cheeks (namely, designate, not kiss!) And wish a good day, take an interest in each other's affairs and in every possible way emphasize the joy of meeting. When meeting a guest, they say bienvenido a .... ("welcome to ..."), sitting down at the table - buen provecho ("buen probecho" - literally "good use"). During the toast, say chin-chin or salud (the latter - if the toast is pronounced in someone's honor). However, the word salud (salud) is quite universal here - it is customary to use it both as a sign of greeting on the street, and as a wish for health, and as a response to someone's appeal. In response to gratitude, de nada ("de nada" - for nothing) is most often used. On the street, they usually greet with the traditional Hola ("ola" - "hello"), Buenos dias ("buenos dias" - good afternoon) or Buenas tardes ("buenas tardes" - "good evening", used at any time of the day after dinner) . Interestingly, in writing, greetings are accompanied by as many as two exclamation marks - inverted at the beginning of the phrase, and ordinary at the end.

When communicating with the Spaniards, it is recommended not to touch on certain topics, such as death or bullfighting. The first is a taboo purely because of the religiosity of the locals, while in the second it is easy for a foreigner who is little versed in this type of entertainment to "press the wrong pedal." You should not mix personal conversation and formalities - it is customary here to clearly separate working relationships from friendship, personal from public. Do not ask about the age of not only ladies, but also men. Most Spaniards are very proud and easily offended, and discussing the difference in age can be seriously taken as an indication of unsuitability for any action. Local residents, by and large, have little interest in life outside their country, and foreigners as such, too, so all their questions should be considered a sign of courtesy, nothing more.

It is highly discouraged to criticize the royal house - the Spaniards are very respectful of the ruling dynasty. Also, do not touch on religion, and even more so football - here the locals have a whole system of hierarchy and preferences, likes and dislikes, which is simply impossible to understand. You should not raise the topic of money, wealth or income level - this is not accepted, as well as complaining about your poverty or pointing it out to others. It is very risky to start talking about politics - despite all the seeming calm in society, Spain is very politicized, and many topics either have a rather specific connotation or can hurt the interlocutor's national identity. By the way, all these features should be taken as overly generalized, not forgetting that Spain is a multinational country, and in every corner of it the set of customs and traditions, and therefore the behavior of people, can be very different from the above.

Spaniards are extremely polite people, especially in public. Giving up a seat on a public transport is considered a courtesy and is highly valued, especially in relation to strangers (it is almost impossible to see an elderly person standing in a tram here). Also a characteristic feature is the desire to hold the door in front of the trail or let the woman go ahead - the Spaniards take this for granted. On the other hand, going anywhere without a queue is not at all shameful - this only speaks of the status of a "violator", albeit ostentatious, but important for him, than about his impudence.

The Spanish nation began to form at the time of the union of the Iberians and Celts. At that moment, a people arose, called the Celtiberians. At that time, Spain was called Iberia. In Iberia lived not only the Celtiberians, but also other nationalities.

After the Romans conquered Spain, the population became Ibero-Roman. And in the 5th century, the Germans left their imprint on the peoples of Spain, invading their territories.

In the 8th century, Spain was invaded by Arabs and Berbers. After that, the Spaniards began to spread to foreign territories and played an important role in the formation of the peoples of Latin America and the Philippines. Representatives of the Spanish nationality boldly entered into all sorts of relationships with foreign women, so today we can meet both swarthy, dark-haired Spaniards and fair, reminiscent of the Slavs.

Peoples inhabiting Spain

Representatives of the ancient peoples are those who have Semitic, Berber and Arabic roots. This population is only a small part of the whole of Spain.

Most Spaniards live in the Iberian Peninsula. Their ancestors are Celto-Iberians, Visigoths, Moors and Romans. The descendants of these peoples live not only in Spain, but also in all Spanish-speaking nations and countries.

The Spaniards do not consider themselves a common nation, they continue to fight for their roots, so among the Spaniards you can meet isolated nationalities - Galicians, Catalans and Basques.

Speaking about the Catalans, it is worth noting that they live in their provincial territory - Catalonia. The common language is Catalan, but there are also those who speak Italian, French and Spanish. The inhabitants of these places profess Catholicism.

The Catalan language appeared at the time of the Celts and Iberians. When the Romans took over the Spanish lands, Latin became an integral part of Spanish life. It was the Romance languages ​​that gave rise to Catalan, which still exists today.

Gypsies are minorities in Spain. In Spain they are called: Roma, Manush, Sinti and Calais.

The common language is Spanish, but there are also those who speak Basque, Aran and Galician.

Culture and life of Spain

Speaking about the culture, way of life and everyday life of the Spaniards, it is worth starting with their family relationships. The family circle of the Spaniards is not limited to close relatives. The family for Spaniards is second cousins ​​uncles, aunts, great-nephews, children stepbrothers and sisters. They really love and protect each other, try to be as close as possible to their relatives.

Spaniards are very fond of children. When the first-born is born in the family, he is given the names of the father and mother at the same time. As a rule, children are named after relatives, so in one family there may be several people who respond to the same name.

In Spain, the elderly are honored and respected. It is not customary for them to take older people to nursing homes or "psychiatric boarding houses", everything is different here. If in some countries it is customary to abandon the elderly, then in Spain families help each other in caring for the elderly.

As a rule, the Spaniards are quite free and lazy people. They put everything off until later, tomorrow, postponed for a couple of hours - if only not now. This should not be forgotten when arranging a meeting with a Spaniard.

Many people think that Spaniards love wine. Yes, it is, but most often it is limited to small glasses. Perhaps a person will take a glass in his hands several times a day, but these will be very small portions that will not affect his emotionality and sociability with other people.

Some unusual customs and traditions

Spain is famous for its colorful and fun traditions and holidays. One of these traditions is the so-called running from the bulls - bullfighting. A herd of bulls is released into the busy streets and people run away from them. Adrenaline rush, fear, excitement and fun - all this attracts people to this event every year.

Another Spanish tradition is Goose Day. A goose carcass is hung over the water, and the contestants try to knock it down, sailing in boats under a tied bird.

Another strange custom is the tomato fight. People take to the streets and start throwing tomatoes around. There is no point in this holiday, but at this moment all the participants are truly happy, like children.