Correfoc

Imagine dancing through streets filled with sparks as costumed devils chase you with fireworks exploding overhead. This is Correfoc, where ancient ritual meets modern spectacle in a celebration that has survived centuries of change. Where the Gothic Quarter's medieval stones meet Plaça de la Seu, this tradition first took form in 1150 as Ball de Diables.

Medieval performers dressed as devils battled angels in theatrical shows, entertaining nobility between banquet courses and later becoming part of Corpus Christi religious processions throughout Catalonia. The Correfoc, meaning fire run in Catalan, depicts the eternal struggle between good and evil through fire and pyrotechnics. For over 30 years under Franco's dictatorship, this cultural expression was banned along with other regional traditions.

After his death in 1975, Catalans revived their heritage with fierce determination. In 1977, cultural activists and the theatrical group Comediants organized the first modern fire run in the Clot neighborhood. By 1978, it had become the explosive highlight of La Mercè festival. Groups called colles de diables now parade through streets carrying pitchforks loaded with carretilles, special firecrackers that rain sparks on everyone below.

Drummers lead each procession, their rhythmic beats serving a crucial safety function by marking where unused fireworks are stored. Spectators wear cotton clothing and brave the falling embers, running alongside the devils in this uniquely Catalan expression of community and celebration.