Orihuela

Designated as an International Tourist Interest event, Holy Week in Orihuela is one of the oldest religious and cultural celebrations in the southeastern region of Spain. Easter in Orihuela is renowned not only for its monuments, landscapes, traditions, and Mediterranean light but also for its rich history and artistic qualities. Art and passion intertwine during this special week, engaging all five senses: the vibrant colors of spring, the aroma of incense, the sound of drums playing the traditional Easter hymn "Canto de la Pasión," and the taste of local delicacies. Thousands of people come together to appreciate the "Very Noble, Loyal, and Forever Faithful City of Orihuela," which serves as a symbol of Mediterranean charm, blending seamlessly with the warmth and hospitality of the local residents.

This building is composed of a church, convent and university, all completed at different times. On the exterior, there are two striking renaissance doorways, featuring the founder's family coat of arms and the shield of the Dominican Order. The Baroque entrance to the University shows an allegorical figure representing wisdom. Human figures adorn the Baroque tower. Inside are two magnificent cloisters, the Renaissance one in the convent and the University own Baroque example. The church is a renaissance building with later Baroque additions. An interesting feature in the Renaissance doorway leading to the sacristy and refectory, dating from the late 16th Century with a fascinating base covered in Vatican tiling from the 18th Century.

Built on the remains of the old Moorish mosque, the building started out as a Parish Church, ascending in importance, as Archiprestal (1281), Collegiate (1413) and finally becoming a Cathedral in 1510. Building started at the end of the 13th Century. It is of Levantine Gothic Style, with three naves and a gallery, a transept transformed by Pere Compte at the beginning of the 16th Century and side chapels between the buttresses. Of note inside is the ironwork, the Baroque organ, the work of Jacinto Perales and the choir stalls, made by Juan Bautista Borja and Tomás Llorens (1716-1718). The sacristy is home to the relics cabinet and cupboard, the work of José Ganga (1732-1734), holding diverse relics within a carved bust. On the outside, of note in the Tower, built between the late 13th Century and the mid-14th Century, the same as the three main gateways, The Puerta de Cadenas (14th Century), Puerta de Loreto (15th Century) and finally, the Portada de la Anunciación, completed by Juan Inglés in 1558.

The Orihuela Archaeology Museum has its origins in the former Santo Domingo Museum of Antiquities, established in 1902 by Jesuit priest Julio Furgús, who donated numerous pieces. Created by the Orihuela Town Council, the museum has been housed in various locations, including the Palacio de Teodomiro, the Municipal Hospital, the Rubalcaba Palace, and since 1997, its current location at the Church of San Juan de Dios, which was built in the mid-18th century. The museum's collection features artefacts that span a broad range of periods, from the Paleolithic era to the early 19th century. The majority of the items were excavated or discovered in the town and its surrounding areas, often through the museum's own investigations. The same building also houses the Exhibition Hall, formerly the men's ward of the hospital. This spacious, rectangular room with barrel-vaulted ceilings hosts temporary exhibitions and various cultural events.

In may 1976, a great wave arrived in Orihuela, coming from many parts of the world this was the tribute to Miguel Hernández. An actual "cultural spring" bloomed in the plazas and streets of the city, particularly in Barrio San Isidro, reviving the life and the work of the poet. To that historic birthplace came painters, writers and musicians, set in the context of difficult times and uncertain transition, reclaiming the freedom that had been absent from their lives. It was an event that still remains recorded in collective memory, not only of the passionate Hernández devotees, but of everyone who defended democratic freedom. At that time of hope, doubt and anxiety, culture elevated the spirit of the people. More than thirty five years passed and to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the poet's death, on the 28th March, 2012, the Culture Department of Orihuela Ayuntamiento, in collaboration with many involved in the cultural life of Orihuela, undertook the task of restoring the murals in Barrio San Isidro; Once again covering the walls of the houses with murals with echoes of profound cultural and political significance. More than a hundred painters took part in this collaborative project, telling their stories on 43 walls, including some who were there in 1976 (Pepe Azorín, Nicasio Cañaveras and Joan Castejon), people from the Barrio San Isidro, primary and secondary teachers and their pupils, a group of disabled people; a true exercise in citizen participation. The project involved people working together with paintbrushes and rollers to essentially recreate the life and work of Miguel Hernández who died defending freedom and his belief in a just world. The result can be viewed on the streets of Camino Viejo de Oriolet, Chopo, Acacia, Tomillo, San Isidro Labrador, Sauce, Algarrobo and Almendro. Here you will find an open air gallery and museum, decorated with 53 murals of many colours and the green and ochre of the Sierra de Orihuela. You are invited to take this cultural and artistic journey through Barrio San Isidro, retracing the footsteps of the poet Miguel Hernández.