Caballada of Atenzia
The traditional Caballada of Atienza, is an event of a popular and religious nature, held annually in the town of Atienza, which takes place on Pentecost Sunday and that brings together many people in the hermitage of "La Señora de la Estrella".
What is the origin of this festival?
The Caballada of Atienza has its origin from the appointment of Alfonso VIII, son of King Sancho III once he died in the year 1,158. He would then be the King of Castilla, but from that moment he lived besieged by his uncle Fernando II, who wanted to take his place.
Due to this, some muleteers ventured to remove the legitimate king from the town and in this way protect his life. This fact occurs on the day of Pentecost when the city was completely besieged so that the king could not escape alive. From then on, and thanks to the king, the brotherhood of the Holy Trinity was created in order to remember this event.
What does the festival consist of?
The Caballada of Ateinza begins every Pentecost Sunday with the meeting of the different brotherhoods in the house of Prioste and where a count is made of all the fines that have been registered throughout the year and which are the result of not having complied with the thirty ordinances.
Once the Abad is collected, the pilgrimage to the hermitage begins. Subsequently, the pilgrimage begins taking the "Virgen de la Estrella" to a place called "La Peña de la Bandera", and then begins with the auction of the Andas.
This is followed by mass and then the real feast begins to taste different dishes and drinks typical of the region.
The celebration of the Caballada of Atienza culminates with the return of the pilgrims, who gather at the prioste's house to seal the meeting with a good drink of wine.
Curiosities of the Caballada of Atienza
A curious fact of this traditional festival is that the brotherhoods a day before organized an event called "sabado de las siete tortillas" as a reminder of the days it took for the muleteers to make the trip with King Alfonso VIII to distant lands where he was not found by his uncle, who wanted to kill him and inherit the throne.
What to do if you visit Atienza?
If you go to this place, you cannot miss visiting the museums and the Atienza Castle. It will also be a real adventure to go to Sierra del Norte Natural Park in Guadalajara or simply take the route of the so-called "Camino del Cid".
2020 Atienza Horse Race
In 2020 it was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic. It is the first time this has happened after 858 years of history. This measure was taken to prevent people from being affected by this virus and to guarantee the health and life of those attending this traditional event.
