El Belén, a Christmas set-up you cannot not miss when you go to Spain. These nativity scenes are dotted all around Spain, in people’s houses, churches and city squares and differ in size and originality. We’ve deep dived into why belenes are so important in Spain and how these amazing figurines are brought to life.
Belen, Bethlehem in Spanish, is the recreation of Jesus´s birth in the manger. Most Spanish families celebrate and continue to link this otherwise commercial holiday to its Chrisitian origin. A small belen will most likely be present in most people’s houses as a Christmas decoration, featuring baby Jesus, Mary, Joseph, the Three Kings and some shepherds.
However, belenes can be taken to a whole different level which are not only a fantastic representation of the past but also somewhat of a tourist attraction.
These intricate set ups can be enormous- with representations of other places and time periods, like Ancient Egypt. They have running water, moving figurines, and fully functional elements and characters. These belenes are crafted by the belenistas, artists which are part of local associations who work year-round, figure crafting, scenography, miniature landscaping and mechanical effects, getting them ready for the Christmas period. Many cities run competitions and exhibitions. This craft represents religious devotion and folk art.
Belenes date back centuries with them first featuring in Christian art. The first ‘living’ nativity is credited to St. Francis of Assisi in 1223. However, the grand, large-scale belenes we have in Spain became popular in the 18th century, when Reina Maria Amalia introduced a massive Neapolitan-style belen to the Spanish court.
Belenes are beautiful- whether big or small and are an essential part of Spain’s Christmas. If you have a chance, try to visit one in a local church- they will not disappoint! Watch our latest episode of Good Morning Spain to learn more about the Belenes!
