Barcelona celebrates 200 years of Tres Tombs

Saturday saw the celebration of the 200th anniversary of the organization of the Tres Tombs festival in Barcelona, with thousands of people lining the streets to mark the occasion.

The center of the Catalan capital was filled with horses, donkeys, and mules parading vintage carriages through the streets, and plenty of dogs, cats, and other pets on the sidelines watching on, waiting to be blessed. 

This is the Tres Tombs festival, marking the feast day of Saint Anthony the Abbott (January 17) and honoring animals and all they’ve done for humanity. 

The horse and historic cart parade passed through the streets of Barcelona between 10.45 am and 1.30 pm, with clergy out blessing pets and animals brought to the festivity between 11 am and 12 noon. 

The parade took place in the Sant Antoni neighborhood and parts of the very center of the city, passing through streets like Parallel, Rocafort, Comte Borrell, Ronda de Sant Antoni, Plaça Universitat, Pelai, and La Rambla boulevard. 

The festival is also a celebration of the history of carting and mule packing, a historic profession known as “traginer” in Catalan, which was once fundamental to our way of life but has since become redundant with the advent of machinery which can transport and travel heavier loads faster. The Tres Tombs is also a celebration of heritage, remembering the world of our ancestors. 

Young and old turned out to watch the parade, with unsuspecting tourists also enjoying the specatacle. 

A group of around 20 animal rights protesters followed behind the main parade as it made its way through the city.

The bulk of Tres Tombs parades happen across Catalonia during January and February, but the last official event will be on Saturday, May 3, when Barcelona hosts the 28th National Gathering of the Tres Tombs, bringing together enthusiasts from more than 70 towns, 80 carts and carriages and 200 horses, in a day full of activities and events.

As well as parades throughout the first months of the year, there will be talks, exhibitions, workshops, and other events aimed at promoting the history and culture of Tres Tombs. Notably, there will be participation in the Millennium Celebrations of Montserrat Abbey.

Podcast

To learn more about the Tres Tombs tradition, and the unique breed of Catalan donkey, listen to the podcast below: Els Tres Tombs - Saint Anthony and the feast of the animals.