On Ash Wednesday, while much of the Catholic world begins its solemn observation of Lent, the streets alongside Madrid’s Manzanares River erupt in a boisterous bacchanal. The Burial of the Sardine (Entierro de la Sardina) stands as one of the city’s most enigmatic festivals, where religious tradition meets carnival spirit in a uniquely Madrileño way.
Royal Roots and Competing Origins
The festival’s origins are shrouded in competing narratives. The most colorful tale dates back to the 18th century, during the reign of King Carlos III. According to legend, the king generously provided the nobility with sardines for the Lenten period. Unfortunately, when the fish arrived at court, the consignment had putrified. The smell was said to have been bad that the nobles were forced to bury the stinky sardines along the banks of the Manzanares River.
However, the festival doesn’t only exist in Madrid – among other places, it’s also celebrated in the Canaries and Catalonia – and another theory suggests a more symbolic origin, proposing that the “sardine” in question was actually a side of bacon. The ritual burial represented the symbolic farewell to meat and rich foods forbidden during the Lenten fast. Meanwhile, in Murcia, a completely different interpretation exists – there, the sardine burial takes place later on the Saturday after holy week and represents the triumph of joy over solemnity. This regional variation hints at the festival’s possible pre-Christian roots.
Goya’s Vision: Capturing the Spirit
In Madrid, the festival’s historical significance was immortalized by Francisco de Goya in his famous painting The Burial of the Sardine, now housed in Madrid’s Real Academia de San Fernando. The painting captures both the jubilant and darker aspects of the celebration, with revelers wearing masks that take on an almost ominous quality. These masks, traditionally worn during carnival were believed to ward off the spirits of those who died violently, adding another layer to the festival’s complex cultural significance.
The Dark Years: Franco’s Suppression
The festival’s history took a sombre turn during Franco’s dictatorship. The regime, viewing the celebration’s pagan undertones with suspicion, effectively banned the tradition along with many other carnival celebrations. Under Franco’s rule, such festivities were deemed too irreverent, too connected to Spain’s pre-Christian past, and too difficult to control. The carnival spirit was forced underground, and the once-boisterous celebration of the Burial of the Sardine was silenced. It wasn’t until the 1960s and 70s, as the regime began to loosen its grip, that such traditions were revived.
Renaissance and Reinvention
The formation of the Alegre Cofradía del Entierro de la Sardina (The Merry Brotherhood of the Sardine’s Burial) in 1967 marked a turning point. This organization, with its headquarters in Madrid’s historic Rastro district, breathed new life into the ancient tradition while adding their own artistic flourishes. Fittingly, they named Goya as their honorary first member, acknowledging his role in preserving the festival’s spirit through his art.
The Brotherhood developed a distinctive aesthetic that draws heavily from Goya’s painting of the festival. Members don elaborate black cloaks and top hats, with women wearing elegant net veils. Each year, they create increasingly elaborate coffins for the sardine, turning these funeral containers into genuine works of art that often pay homage to Goya’s original painting.
The Modern Celebration
The evening’s festivities begin at the Hermitage of San Antonio de la Florida, where participants first pay their respects to Goya’s magnificent frescoes. The procession then winds along the streets close to the Manzanares River, accompanied by traditional giants and big-headed figures (gigantes y cabezudos). The parade features music, dancing, and four members of the Brotherhood carrying the artistically crafted sardine coffin.
The festivities culminate at the Fuente de los Pajaritos in Plaza de las Moreras, where the sardine meets its final fate beside a purifying bonfire. This fire supposedly cleanses past vices – though the celebratory atmosphere suggests participants aren’t too concerned about their present ones.
Cultural Evolution
The transformation of the Burial of the Sardine from its disputed origins, through years of suppression, to its modern incarnation as an unruly and less religious cultural celebration reflects Spain’s broader cultural evolution. While Spain has become increasingly secular, with Church attendance steadily declining, festivals like the Burial of the Sardine continue to thrive. Perhaps this endurance speaks to the human need to find a sense of continuity even as old traditions are discarded.
If you want to learn more about Madrid and its traditions, why not hire me for a private guided tour? For prices and dates get in touch by email. Alternatively, Digital Me can show your around Madrid’s Literary District or Retiro Park on a Voicemap audio walking tour.
