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Category: Bonares

Cruces de mayo de Bonares

The Cruces de Mayo (May Crosses) of Bonares date back to the 18th century. At that time, the town was governed by mayors Gaspar Camacho and José Mª Carrasco. The latter came up with the idea of creating a cross similar to the one at the corner of the staircase leading to the sacristy of the Church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción.

This cross was decorated with silver gauze and flowers during the festivities, and the locals danced around it. As it was the only cross in the town at that time, it ended up being placed in the arcade of the Town Hall and was renamed ‘Cruz del Rincón’ (Corner Cross), in memory of the other cross that originated there, which was located in the corner of the sacristy of the church.

For a time, this was the only cross in the town, and celebrations were held around it, but little by little, as this tradition took root in the hearts of the people of Bonariego and the town grew, the rest of the crosses appeared until there were twelve, as there are today.

El Rincón, Higueral, El Pozo, Larga, Cuatro Esquinas, La Fuente, Misericordia, Nueva, Arenal, El Pilar, San Sebastián, Triana.

These May Crosses of Bonares have been declared a Festival of National Tourist Interest in Andalusia, due to their uniqueness and distinction from other cross festivals in other places, and form part of the Historical Heritage of the Regional Government of Andalusia. It is something unique that surprises those who come to see it and learn about the culture and traditions of the town every year. Its 12 chapels are handmade by the people of the street, who use satin fabric and pins to create a true work of art, composed of many small pieces that form designs and come together to create a unique place, as each chapel is different from the rest. They are also decorated with flowers, mirrors and figures, among many other elements, which enhance the designs and bring each one to life. Every year, the Cruz, the organiser of the Romero, dismantles its chapel and completely renovates it, so each design lasts only 12 years.

Cruces Chicas

On 1 May, the ‘Cruz Chica’ (Little Cross) is celebrated, an imitation of the festive ritual of the Day of the Cross, but starring children. For a time, this tradition had been lost, but thanks to the intervention of the Town Council, it has been celebrated again every year since 1987.

The Cruces Chicas follow the same ritual as their counterparts and take the same procession route. Perhaps the most noticeable difference is in the excitement and the costumes (flamenco dresses), as well as in the size of the crosses, flags and simpecados (banners) in the different streets. At the end of the procession, the participating children perform the traditional ‘falls’ from the balcony of the Town Hall, which are judged by a popular jury made up of boys and girls from each Cross. Once the final count has been made, the Town Hall awards a plaque as a souvenir of the event to the three best Crosses that have performed the falls, as well as a financial contribution to each of them so that this festival can continue to be held.

Corpus Christi

Corpus Christi is undoubtedly one of the most charismatic festivals in Bonares. Corpus Christi is a Christian festival celebrating the Eucharist. The celebration takes place on the Thursday following the eighth Sunday after Easter Sunday (i.e. 60 days after Easter Sunday).

Here in Bonares, this celebration has a special feature that makes it unique: balconies are decorated with their finest mantles and the streets are covered with a carpet of green rushes and pine branches on the facades.

It is a great pleasure to stroll through the streets on the morning of Corpus Christi and feel the freshness and aroma of the rushes, a truly memorable experience.

On the other hand, once the procession is over, there is a very special custom of making a zurriago (a kind of braided whip made from rushes). Late in the afternoon, all the children begin to make their own rush beds, where they play on them.

Centro de interpretación Cruces de Mayo

Located in the heart of the municipality, the Bonares May Crosses Interpretation Centre is a space created to highlight one of the most deeply rooted and unique traditions in Western Andalusia: the celebration of the May Crosses, declared a Festival of National Tourist Interest in Andalusia.

This centre offers a unique tour of this popular, religious and artistic event that every May brings together residents and visitors around twelve crosses, each with its own history, aesthetics and symbolism. Through audiovisual resources, information panels and interactive materials, visitors can learn about the origin of the festival, the process of constructing and decorating each cross, as well as the elements that make up the identity of each neighbourhood.

This space also displays the work carried out by the mayors and stewards of the twelve Cruces de Mayo over the years, reflecting the dedication, affection, creativity and effort that each one puts into the creation of their beautiful chapels. In addition, a careful selection of godfather and godmother costumes used by different pilgrims of the Cruz del Romero is on display, as an essential part of this celebration.

Visiting the Bonares May Crosses Interpretation Centre not only allows you to appreciate the beauty and detail of each cross, but also to understand the profound cultural and social value of this tradition, which is part of the soul of Bonares and is proudly passed down from generation to generation.

Monumento a la Mujer Crucera

The Monument to the Women of Bonares is a bronze sculpture created by artist Martín Lagares, a native of La Palma del Condado. It was unveiled in April 2022 in Bonares’ Plaza de la Constitución, coinciding with the May Crosses Festival.

This work pays tribute to the women who, over generations, have been the driving force behind the Cruces de Mayo, one of the municipality’s most deeply rooted traditions. It represents a female figure linked to this popular tradition, approached from a realistic perspective with baroque references.

The monument falls within the genre of monumental portraiture and seeks to highlight the role of women in the municipality.

Iglesia Nuestra Señora de la Asunción

The building has a basilica floor plan with three naves. The central nave is the longest, with two vaults, one with a lantern decorated with frescoes and the other with a horseshoe vault in the sacristy. It has a wooden gabled roof with Mudejar-style coffering and features Baroque altarpieces and frescoes on its walls.

In the Church of Our Lady of the Assumption, visitors will find images of considerable importance, such as an anonymous Immaculate Conception attributed to the circle of Alonso Cano, and a Saint Francis Borgia attributed to the school of Martínez Montañés.

Also worthy of mention are the polychrome wood carvings of the Virgin of Carmen, the Virgin Mary as a Child and the Assumption, anonymous works from Seville dating from the mid-18th century.

Ermita de Santa María Salomé

It is a rectangular building with a gabled roof, crowned with a semi-spherical vault decorated with frescoes. The entire nave is lined with Sevillian-style baseboards.

The neoclassical altarpiece houses the chapel of the town’s patron saint, Santa María Salomé, decorated with frescoes on all its walls and topped with a pointed vault and stained glass windows on the outside.

The entrance portico is quadrangular with three semicircular arches and a gabled roof, ending in a Baroque-style belfry. It has a side entrance from the hermit’s terraced house. Although its origins are older, it was at the beginning of the 18th century that it was given its current exterior appearance.

Legend has it that the building was constructed where there used to be an almond tree, but what is certain is that from there you can see Bonares in all its splendour. Its privileged location, at the top of the village, and the pleasant gardens that surround it make it an ideal place for a stroll.

Every October, when the grape harvest traditionally ends, the patron saint festivities take place. This is when the ‘quintos’ carry the Saint down on their shoulders to the local parish church.

Ermita de San Sebastián

It is a rectangular building with a single nave, crowned with a semi-spherical vault decorated with a central pinnacle. On the side wall there are remains of a fresco depicting Saint Christopher. It has a neoclassical façade with a semicircular arch topped with a ceramic tile bearing the name of the chapel, and ends with a belfry.

The Chapel of San Sebastián dates back to the late 17th century, specifically around 1695.

Capillas de las Cruces

There are twelve crosses in the town: El Rincón, El Pozo, Larga, Cuatro Esquinas, La Fuente, Misericordia, Nueva, Arenal, El Pilar, San Sebastián and Triana. In honour of the crosses, a unique and traditional festival with deep popular roots is celebrated in May.

There are 11 Chapels of the Crosses of May, all of contemporary construction, which are more notable for the artistic value of their interiors than for their architectural value. This artistic value reflects a popular craft that is found almost exclusively in this municipality and comes from a tradition passed down from generation to generation.

The chapels have two or three bays at the back, and the first is usually fitted out as a hall or reception area and is usually decorated with tiled skirting boards and plasterwork on the ceilings. The following bays are then arranged for the decoration of what is properly called ‘La Cruz’ (The Cross), which consists of wooden structures covering the walls and ceiling, forming domes, vaults, arches, columns… in all architectural styles. These structures are lined in a special way with fabrics, which form folds, braids and the characteristic ‘bullón’ (fabric gathered with the help of pins). The materials most commonly used for this process are pastel-coloured satin fabrics, lace, embroidery, braids, etc.

In the centre of this enclosure is placed the Madero (which is usually made of silver or gold-embroidered tissue with biblical motifs). This Madero is surrounded by a heart-shaped border lined with flowers, and the rest of the space is decorated with flowers, images of angels, etc.

All of this together produces an impressive effect, which is why it is said that the May Crosses of Bonares are to be seen, experienced and felt, not described, as it is very difficult to explain in words the impression they make.
The chapels are only open to visitors during the weeks before and after the festival, from the beginning of April until the feast of Corpus Christi.

Río Tinto

The River Tinto is a true symbol of the province of Huelva and, in particular, of the Condado region. Rising in the Sierra de Padre Caro, in the town of Nerva, this river flows for approximately 100 kilometres before emptying into the Huelva estuary, where it joins the River Odiel.

Declared a ‘Protected Landscape’, it has characteristics that make it unique from both a landscape and environmental point of view, due to the acidity of its waters and the very high content of heavy metals and ferruginous salts that give it a range of reddish colours and its peculiar appearance. This unique appearance has also made the river a resource for scientific and photographic tourism.

In addition, this acidity means that there is no classic riverside vegetation on its banks and that its shores have ochre colours that give it an otherworldly appearance. Not surprisingly, its unique characteristics have led NASA to investigate its waters due to their striking resemblance to the planet Mars.

One of the characteristic features of this river are the flour mills, built over several centuries due to the province’s wealth of cereals, which can be found along its entire course. These water mills form part of the historical and industrial heritage of the Condado de Huelva region, where there are up to 23 scattered throughout the municipalities of Paterna del Campo, La Palma del Condado, Villarrasa, Niebla, Moguer and Palos de la Frontera.