The Fallas of the Pyrenees - Intangible Cultural Heritage
"We will set fire to the Faro and we will draw in the darkness of the mountain the path of fire that will guide us to run throughout the town until we will all light a bonfire that will give way to the dance night."
This fragment, translated from the original in Catalan, extracted from the festival program d'Erill la Vall, located in the Boí Valley, explains very well what the Fallas of the Pyrenees are.
The Faro is a pine tree that is planted in a high place, visible from the town in question, to which a fire is set to ignite all the Fallas. The Fallas are pieces of pine wood attached with wire to a straight ash branch.
All the Fallaires descend from the Faro to the town drawing figures of fire in the night and screaming like possessed, then they walk the streets streets of the town, embers falling everywhere, to end up piling up what remains of the Fallas and forming a great bonfire that begins the town's festivities.
The show, of great visual beauty and in many cases not too crowded, can be found in many towns in the Lleida Pyrenees during the months of June and July.
The Fallas of the Pyrenees are intangible cultural heritage of humanity.
