English
The story goes that Montblanc was at the mercy of an evil dragon which had brought much disgrace to the village. One day the town, fed up of all the suffering, got together, and made a pact with the dragon, so that he would stop his path of destruction. The agreement was that, every now and again, the village would offer somebody up to the dragon, to quench his thirst for blood – and that the name would be drawn out of a hat.
So, one terrible day, the chosen one happened to be the daughter of the King of Montblanc. Knowing that his daughter was a villager just like everybody else, it was with great sadness that the King had to obey the order. The princess began her journey to the dragon´s den – but just as she reached the entrance of the cave, there appeared a gentleman riding a white steed who introduced himself as George, and announced that his mission was to save the princess, and the village from the evil dragon. A great battle commenced between George and the dragon. Finally, the dragon was killed, and the village was free. Legend also has it that in the spot where the dragon died, grew a bush of red roses.
This took place on the 23rd of April – and is celebrated with San Jordi, who is the patron saint of Catalonia. Medieval week is commemorated with a dramatisation of the legend of St George in the beautiful town centre, during which the “blood” of the dragon is drunk by the visitors to the fair. There is also the Monblanc market, which brings together all the artisans of the region, and the highest-quality local produce and specialities, as well as a whole host of cultural activities all week. This highly recommended event was declared an official national festival in 1988.
For more information visit: http://www.setmanamedieval.org/
Luz Obscura
If you want to discover the story of St George – as well as Catalonia´s medieval customs and traditions you can´t miss Montblanc´s medieval week. Find Barcelona accommodation – there are various different transport options to Montblanc, but it´s around an hour and a half away. Experience medieval Catalonia, and sample some “dragon´s blood.”
Translated by: Poppy
