The Museo Mariano museum of the annual Fiestas Patronales in Yecla

Exhibits related to the unique fiestas of Yecla include standards, costumes and arquebuses!

The Museo Mariano in Yecla is devoted to the display of all kinds of items related to the unique fiestas in honour of the patron of the town, which are held in December every year.

The origins of these fiestas lie in the formation of a company of military recruits under the orders of Captain Martín Soriano Zaplana, who marched them off to fight in the Catalan Revolt of 1642. Six months later they returned from a stay in the garrison of Vinaròs without having seen any action, and in recognition of their good fortune the men of Yecla marched up to the Santuario del Castillo to give thanks to the figure of Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación.

From that moment it became an annual tradition to parade the Virgin down to the town and the church of La Asunción while firing their arquebuses (a predecessor of the musket). The first official statute regarding the order of ceremonies during the Fiestas was drawn up in 1786 and was not revised until 200 years later.

Nowadays the fiestas are an explosion of colour, tradition and, above all, noise – visitors are warned to bring earplugs to withstand the salvoes of arquebus fire which accompany the processions!

The Museo Mariano contains various objects, including the processional platform on which the figure of the Virgen, now referred to as the Virgen del Castillo, is carried in procession. Glass cases hold various flags and standards which are used by the “Mayordomos” (the dignitaries appointed every year to head the parades), some of them well over 100 years old.

There is also a projection room where visitors can watch an audiovisual presentation about the Fiestas de la Virgen, and one of the renowned “arcas cerradas” is recreated.

A free App with audio guide is available at the entrance to the museum to help visitors make their way around the exhibits.

Address: Paseo del Barco de Ávila, next to the Santuario del Castillo, 30510 Yecla, Murcia (click for map)

The museum is located right next door to the Sanctuary of La Virgen del Castillo on the castle hill.

Telephone: 636 035696

Opening hours: Friday to Sunday mornings 11.00 to 13.30, Thursday to Saturday evenings 18.00 to 20.00.

If visiting Yecla don’t forget to make sure one of your first ports of call is the tourist office (Plaza Mayor, 1, email turismo@yecla.es, telephone 968 754104).

For more local events, news and visiting information go to the home page of Yecla Today.