Corpus Christi and the Tarasca
On Corpus Thursday the monstrance leaves the Cathedral in the most solemn procession of the year; the day before, the Tarasca and the giants and big-heads parade through the centre.
When
Next: Thursday, May 27, 2027.
On Corpus Christi Thursday, sixty days after Easter Sunday. The Tarasca comes out the day before, on Wednesday, and the Octave on the following Sunday.
Last time: Thursday, June 4, 2026.
What it is
Corpus Christi Thursday is the high point of Granada's festivities. The celebration is more than five centuries old: the City Council links it to the impetus given by Isabella the Catholic in 1501, and since then the procession of the Blessed Sacrament has been the heart of the city's main festivities.
The day before, on Wednesday, the Tarasca comes out: a mannequin dressed in the fashion of the season riding on the back of a dragon. Her outfit is the city's best-kept secret until the moment she appears, and each year it is created by a different designer. With her parade the giants and big-heads and brass bands. She is the popular, mocking counterpoint to the religious festival; historically she led the Corpus procession.
On Thursday morning the monstrance leaves the Cathedral in a procession that is half solemn and half popular, with parishes, brotherhoods, guilds, clergy and authorities taking part, and the City Council accompanies it with its mace-bearers and the Royal Standard. On the following Sunday the Octave is held, a smaller procession around the Cathedral.
Where
The Tarasca leaves the Plaza del Carmen and goes round the centre along Reyes Católicos, Gran Vía de Colón, Cárcel Baja, San Jerónimo, the Plaza de la Romanilla, the Plaza de la Trinidad and Mesones before returning to the City Hall.
The Corpus procession leaves the Cathedral by the Plaza de las Pasiegas and follows a traditional route along Marqués de Gerona, Mesones, Reyes Católicos, Gran Vía de Colón and Cárcel Baja, among other streets, decorated for the occasion with altars, awnings and aromatic plants.
Customs and traditions
The procession route is strewn with sedge and rosemary and covered with awnings; in the past several villages of the Vega were obliged to bring the plants for the ground in ox carts. Altars are set up along the streets and compete in a contest, and there is also a competition for balconies and shop windows.
During these days the carocas, satirical cartoons and verses about current events in the city, are displayed in the Plaza de Bib-Rambla, and the traditional pottery fair is set up in the Carrera de la Virgen. Chairs are placed along the route to watch the procession, with no booking.
FAQ
How is Corpus Thursday worked out?
It is the Thursday that falls sixty days after Easter Sunday.
What is the Tarasca?
A mannequin dressed in the season's fashion who parades on top of a dragon on Corpus Wednesday, accompanied by giants and big-heads. Her outfit is kept secret until she comes out.
Where does the Corpus procession start?
From the Cathedral, via the Plaza de las Pasiegas, returning there after going round the centre.
What is the Octave of Corpus?
A smaller procession held on the Sunday after Corpus around the Cathedral.
What are the carocas?
Satirical cartoons and verses about current events displayed in the Plaza de Bib-Rambla during Corpus.