History
On May 15th, madrileños celebrate their city’s patron saint: San Isidro el Labrador. For many, it is a religious celebration, but for others it is a time to spend with family and friends attending concerts, shows and various activities for all ages.
You can discover the meaning and significance of this holiday in Spain by navigating through the different resources gathered below
How is it celebrated in Madrid?
Things to see in Madrid; San Isidro Madrid festival
In context
Traditional Music & Dance: Chotis
El chotis was first introduced to the madrilenien society in 1850 as the German Polca. It was danced in the balls of the Royal Palace and was an identifier of high society. However, it later became popular in the late 19th and early 20th century, becoming one of the characteristics of the Casticismo madrileño, a cultural identity movement of the Spanish capital.
Cómo se baila un chotis
"The term “Chulapo” or “Chulapa” – a variant on the word chulo – was forged during the 19th century to refer to a working- or lower-middle-class group of people in Spanish society who were famous for their elaborate style of dress and cheeky attitude. The original Chulapos in Madrid were residents of the Malasaña and Maravillas neighbourhoods, but today, the term is used to refer to anybody from Madrid." -theculturetrip.com
Las chulapas
Los chulapos
Obras comentadas: "La pradera de San Isidro", Francisco de Goya, (1788)
Gastronomy
Limonada
Typical Lemonade
Cocido madrileño
Madrilinean stew
Rosquillas
San Isidro