Easter week in Calanda

Calanda, in the province of Teruel, is one of the nine villages that make up the Route of the Tambor and the Bombo (drums).

During the Easter week celebrations, the sound of drums can be heard in every corner of these villages in the south of the Aragón Region. The most long-awaited moment of the celebrations in Calanda is the “rompida de la hora” (breaking of the hour). Unlike the other villages, in Calanda the “rompida” is at midday on Good Friday. Thousands of these drums come together in the village square and, at midday, they begin to beat in unison, filling the whole village with an incredible sound. Soon after is the most impressive procession of the celebrations. It is the “El pregón” procession: the drum rolls cease when the pregonero (announcer) proclaims the death of Christ. After the Santo Entierro procession of Saturday evening, the sound of these instruments will not be heard again until the following year.