Sant Jordi: much more than books and roses
Open days, walking routes, historical recreations and talks, among the activities programmed for and around 23 April.
Saint George (Sant Jordi in Catalan) is the patron saint of Catalonia and on his feast day on 23 April people here take to the streets to browse and buy books and roses. Though not an official public holiday, the atmosphere is extremely festive, and the celebrations are growing year by year, fed by a constant supply of associated cultural activities.
For example, on 23 April you can visit Barcelona Town Hall, which will be holding an open day and you will be accompanied by characters like Sant Jordi, the princess, the 14th century chronicler Ramon Muntaner and the counselor Rafael Casanova. In the courtyard of the entrance to the Town Hall you’ll find a stand selling roses, and the money collected will go entirely to non-profit entities, while every half an hour there will be a show featuring Chinese shadows depicting the legend of Saint George. The Ateneu Barcelonès and Palau Güell are two other spaces of great historical and artistic interest that will open their doors to the public on 23 April. At the carriage entrance of the Ateneu there will be a selection of books from the publishing association Llegir en català, while in La Rambla there will be a stand selling books by the teachers and students from the Escola d’Escriptura. Admission to the Gaudí-designed Palau Güell, which was home to Eusebi Güell and his family, will be free for the day, though you do need to collect invitations from the box office on the same day from 10am to 2.45pm.
Meanwhile, from 7pm in Plaça de Sant Jaume you can attend a performance of sardanes by the Colla Sardanista Sant Jordi, with music by the Cobla La Principal de la Bisbal. But before that, writer Almudena Grandes will be responsible for officially opening proceeding with a speech given at the Town Hall on Thursday 19 April at 6pm. The author will also talk to the writer and journalist Antonio G. Iturbe. Disseny Hub Barcelona will be hosting different talks on 20 and 21 April and the writers Sergi Pàmies, Amélie Nothomb, Carme Riera, Najat El Hachmi, Philip Pullman, Albert Sánchez Piñol, José Eduardo Agualasa, Xavier Aldekoa and Fernando Aramburu will be taking part. Those who love literary walking routes will be interested in De Marsé a Mercè on 21 April, which will follow the footsteps of Mercè Rodoreda and Juan Marsé in the neighborhoods of Carmel, Can Baró, Guinardó and Baix Guinardó.
Additional information is available at the following link.