When people throw tomatoes in Spain. Tomatina - holiday of tomatoes, Spain. Tomatina: historical background

The 70th La Tomatina festival took place in Spain - an epic tomato battle on the streets of the city of Buñol, in the east of the country.

The Spaniards celebrated La Tomatina for the 70th time. On the 70th anniversary of this holiday, half-naked participants in an epic tomato fight threw tons of tomatoes at each other.

The number of tomatoes used during this tomato extravaganza this year was a record - 170 tons!

El Pais reports this.

In total, more than 22 thousand people took part in the tomato battle. Most of them are Spaniards, but there were also foreign guests. According to the organizers of the holiday, la Tomatina brought together people of 96 nationalities.

The festival of la Tomatina is considered the largest battle using food instead of weapons on the planet, notes The Local. It is this holiday that attracts tourists from Great Britain, Japan, Australia and the United States to Buñol.

La Tomatina 2015

The organizers even took care of instructions for the participants in the battle - how to fight with tomatoes correctly. In particular, participants are recommended to first crush the tomato before throwing - and the blow will not be very painful, and there will be more splashes. Also, visitors to la Tomatina are advised to come to the battle in old clothes and safety glasses so that the caustic juice from the tomatoes does not cause irritation to the mucous membranes of the eyes.

Local residents could participate in the celebration for free. But foreigners had to purchase a ticket for 10 euros. The authorities of Buñol use the proceeds from the sales to pay off debts incurred for the organization of this tomato festival.

La Tomatina has been held in the Spanish city of Buñol since 1945. La Tomatina received official status in 1957.

Tomato battles take place annually at the end of August. The battle lasts about an hour - from 10 to 11 am. The start of the tomato battle is a signal from the town hall in the city center. After this, trucks with ripe tomatoes appear on the main square - they serve as the main weapon.

In Spain, the annual festival "La Tomatina" took place, during which a traditional tomato fight is held, in which thousands of people who come to the small town of Buñol from different corners planets.

We bring to your attention a short photo report from this “tomato” event:


Participants throw tomatoes during the annual La Tomatina festival in Bunol, Valencia, Spain, August 31, 2016. (photo: Burak Akbulut/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)


Revelers pelt each other with tomato pulp during the annual Tomatina celebrations in the town of Buñol, near Valencia, on August 31, 2016. (photo: Bil Alino/AFP Photo)


Celebrants covered in tomato pulp take part in the annual Tomatina celebrations in the town of Buñol, near Valencia, on August 31, 2016. (photo: Bil Alino/AFP Photo)


A tomato fight takes place during the annual Tomatina (tomato fight) festival in Buñol near Valencia, Spain, on August 31, 2016. (photo: Heino Kalis/Reuters)


Tomato fight during the annual Tomatina festival in Buñol, Spain, on August 31, 2016. (photo: Heino Kalis/Reuters)


A participant stands against a wall covered in tomato pulp during the annual Tomatina tomato fight in Buñol, Spain, August 31, 2016. (photo: Heino Kalis/Reuters)


Participants in the annual Tomatina festival in Buñol, Valencia, throw tomatoes into the crowd from a truck on August 31, 2016. (photo: Heino Kalis/Reuters)


A participant in the annual Tomatina tomato fight in Buñol, Spain, lies in tomato pulp, August 31, 2016. (photo: Heino Kalis/Reuters)


Residents and visitors covered in tomato pulp take part in the annual Tomatina celebrations in the town of Buñol, near Valencia, on August 31, 2016. (photo: Bil Alino/AFP Photo)



Crowds of people throw tomatoes at each other during the annual Tomatina, a festival of tomato fights, in the town of Buñol, 50 kilometers from Valencia, Spain, on Wednesday, August 31, 2016. (Photo: Alberto Sais/AP Photo)


Crowds of people throw tomatoes at each other during the annual Tomatina, a festival of tomato fights, in the town of Buñol, 50 kilometers from Valencia, Spain, on Wednesday, August 31, 2016. (Photo: Alberto Sais/AP Photo)


Crowds of people throw tomatoes at each other during the annual Tomatina, a festival of tomato fights, in the town of Buñol, 50 kilometers from Valencia, Spain, on Wednesday, August 31, 2016. (Photo: Alberto Sais/AP Photo)


People throw tomato pulp at each other during the annual Tomatina celebrations in the town of Buñol, near Valencia, on August 31, 2016. The annual celebration saw trucks unload some 160 tons of ripe tomatoes into a crowd of 22,000 scantily clad people who filled the streets of Buñol for an hour-long tomato fight. (photo: Bil Alino/AFP Photo)


Crowds of people throw tomatoes at each other during the traditional La Tomatina festival, which takes place every year in the town of Buñol, 50 kilometers from Valencia, Spain, August 31, 2016. (Photo: Alberto Sais/AP Photo)


A girl is sprayed with tomatoes during the annual Tomatina, a tomato fight that takes place in the town of Buñol near Valencia, Spain, on August 31, 2016. The streets of the eastern Spanish city are literally drowned in red pulped tomatoes in the annual Tomatina battle, which has become a major tourist attraction. At the annual celebration in Buñol on Wednesday, trucks unloaded 160 tonnes of tomatoes for the 22,000 festival-goers, many of whom traveled from abroad, to indulge in the tomatoes during the hour-long morning festivities. (Photo: Alberto Sais/AP Photo)


Revelers covered in tomato pulp take part in the annual La Tomatina festival in the town of Buñol near Valencia on August 31, 2016. On this day, for the battle of tomatoes, 160 tons of ripe fruit were unloaded from trucks into a crowd of 22,000 scantily clad combatants who filled the city streets. (photo: Bil Alino/AFP Photo)


A participant is pelted with tomato pulp during the annual Tomatina festival in the town of Buñol, near Valencia, on August 31, 2016. (photo: Bil Alino/AFP Photo)


A woman completely covered in tomato pulp takes part in the traditional annual tomato fight known as "La Tomatina" in the town of Buñol, eastern Spain, on August 31, 2016. As every year, on the last Wednesday of August, thousands of people came to the city of Buñol to take part in the world famous "Tomatina", a battle in which participants used 160 tons of tomatoes against each other. This year "La Tomatina" is held under the slogan of demanding an end to homophobia and violence against women. (Photo: Kai Forsterling/EPA)


Two women enjoy the process as crowds throw tomatoes during the annual Tomatina festival in the town of Buñol, 50 kilometers from Valencia, Spain, on Wednesday, August 31, 2016. (Photo: Alberto Sais/AP Photo)


People throw tomatoes at each other during the annual tomato fight "La Tomatina" in Buñol, Spain, August 31, 2016. (Photo: Alberto Sais/AP Photo)


A woman covered in tomato pulp takes part in the traditional annual tomato fight known as "La Tomatina" in the Spanish town of Buñol on August 31, 2016. (Photo: Kai Forsterling/EPA)



People throw tomatoes during the annual Tomatina festival in Buñol, near Valencia, on August 31, 2016. (photo: Heino Kalis/Reuters)

What is Tomatina (La Batalla del Tomate)? Features of the celebration tomato festival in Spain. Program, place and dates of Tomatina 2020.

Rivers of tomato juice flow through the streets of provincial Buñol during the Tomato Festival in Spain. In one hour, event participants destroy 150 tons of red fruits, throwing them at everyone around them. Two hours after the start of the battles, the central square of the city with all the houses is painted bright red, and the level of tomato juice reaches the ankles.

Tomatina is a cult phenomenon that has no hidden meaning. It’s just that thousands of residents and guests of the city gather to throw tomatoes for fun.

How did the Tomato Battle come about?

Today there is a noble version of the origin of the event, according to which Buñol residents, as a sign of protest against the dictatorial regime of Franco’s rule, began to throw tomatoes at each other. But history is silent about the harm this would cause to the dictator himself. The second version, which dates back to 1945, is considered more plausible, when a group of guys staged a brawl in the Plaza del Pueblo. The conflict occurred near the market, and the young people did not come up with anything better than using fresh vegetables as projectiles.

Tomato battle is loved by young people and guests of the country

Thanks to the tenacity of the townspeople, who deliberately renewed the brawl year after year, the authorities were forced to officially establish La Batallа del Tomate as a local holiday. The free concert was so liked by everyone who managed to see it that a year later the performance was repeated.

Tomatina Festival - dates 2020

Every year the event starts at last week August. Tomatina 2020 falls on August 30th. It will last a whole week. Competitions, music and dance festivals, competitions, free treats, and nightly fireworks shows are planned. But the highlight, of course, is the tomato fight.

Tomatina celebration program

The popular tomato battle in Spain is held in three stages:

  1. A seven-meter pillar, generously greased with soap, is installed in the city square. A delicious piece of jamon is suspended above it. The goal is to take possession of the ham to start the celebration. After clumsy attempts for an hour or two, there will definitely be a trickster in the crowd who will manage to get the coveted piece of pork;
  2. At exactly 11 a.m., a firecracker explosion is heard from the town hall, signaling the start of the tomato battle. The square is filled with trucks filled to the brim with ripe vegetables. In addition to the fruits the cars are carrying the most ardent fans of the holiday, who did not spare 300 euros for the right to be in the VIP box as close to the projectiles as possible. They are the first to start throwing tomatoes at the crowd. The crowd below is also not at a loss, running up to the trucks to replenish the combat arsenal;
  3. After 2 hours of fierce battles for the participants of the battle, washed with tomato juice, merrily tumbling in a sea of ​​crushed fruits, a second signal is heard from the roof of the town hall. He announces a ceasefire. Cleaning vehicles are moving into the square to wash away the “bloody” consequences of the massacre.

Tomato battle in Bunyol - how to get there

The town of Buñol, where La Batalà del Tomate (The Tomato Battle) takes place, is adjacent to Valencia. There are three ways to get to the Tomatina festival site.

Panorama of Buñol, home of the Tomatina festival

  • Bus number 265A will take you there in an instant;
  • Another way to get to Buñol is to take the C3 commuter train from Valencia to Sant Isidre;
  • Happy car owners will be able to get there on their own along the A3 motorway. Continue towards Madrid/Aeropuerto and then exit at VP-3031/Buñol.

Where to stay during Tomatina period

When planning a trip to the Tomatina festival, it is logical to start looking for hotels in Buñol. But we do not recommend it from the bottom of our hearts. Firstly, all the decent options (and this is a guest house Torre de Alborache and hotel Hotel Condes de Buñol 2* near the station) are booked a year in advance. You can check the dates around August 30, 2017 yourself - there are no longer any available rooms. Secondly, Valencia is only half an hour away from the main events, and it is much more interesting than Buñol.

Pay attention to the hotels in Valencia within walking distance from the railway station, from where trains depart to Buñol:

  • Hotel Conqueridor. The hotel is close to the train station (about 300 m) and metro station. If you are interested not only in Tomatina, then nearby is Piazza di Spagna, from where buses depart to the beach and to the airport - wherever you want :) The rooms are large, with air conditioning and wi-fi. Price from 4,500 rub.

    We're going to Tomato battle: Hotel Conqueridor

  • Zenit Valencia. 4 star hotel close to the metro, city center and, most importantly, train stations (after all, our goal is to participate in Tomatina!). Cozy rooms, spacious bathrooms, panoramic terrace. Price from 4,500 rub.

    How to get to the Tomato Battle: Zenit Valencia

  • Sohotel Ruzafa. This is an apartment hotel where guests can either use a shared kitchen or book a room with a kitchenette. Each studio has a bathtub, hairdryer and bath amenities. The hotel is ideal for a trip to the Tomato Battle 2017 (the station is nearby). Price from 2,900 rub.

It’s also a good idea to stay right in the center (you can always get to the train stations by public transport):


Our visitors are concerned with a pressing question: if they settle in Valencia, and not in Buñol, what to do with the clothes ruined after Tomatina?

Good afternoon. The Tomatina festival in Spain is the most colorful event of the summer. Imagine hundreds of tons of fresh tomatoes that you can throw at each other, and you won’t get anything for it. In addition to the epic battle itself, they cook paella all night, storm wooden poles and swim in a pool of tomato juice. It will be fun without wearing white.

Spain. Valenicia. City of Buñol

The Spanish tomato fight La Tomatina takes place annually on the last Wednesday of August.

The holiday is very popular, attracting hundreds of tourists from all over the world. For example: in 2011, a city with a population of 9,000 people counted 40,000 people during Tomatina.

That's why housing costs book in advance.

Unprohibited

At exactly 11:00 in the city of Buñol, a signal is heard - a firecracker explodes on the roof of the town hall.

This means that the most picturesque and original holiday, La Tomatina, has begun, when tens of thousands of people throw ripe tomatoes at each other.

It seems that this town near Valencia turns into a modern art installation for one day. The central square, city streets, walls and shop windows are covered with an even layer of tomatoes. Although, it’s worth saying right away: all this tomato madness lasts exactly 2 hours.

Several times they tried to ban La Tomatina, but this caused such a storm of protests among the local population that the authorities gave up.

The only time Tomatina was canceled was during Franco's reign. The dictator recognized it as having absolutely no religious significance, and therefore useless.

Good tone for a tomato battle

Okay, they couldn’t ban the battle at all, but they worked out the rules of engagement.

  1. You cannot tear or damage your opponents' clothes.
  2. Throwing anything other than tomatoes is prohibited.
  3. No bottles, stones, sharp objects.
  4. Before throwing a tomato, remember it in your hand so that it lands “soft” on your opponent.
  5. It is impossible to prevent the movement of trucks on the streets.
  6. No obvious aggression, just fun.

The first point about clothing may alarm you. How can you not ruin your clothes when you are bombarded with ripe tomatoes for 2 hours? So don't wear anything valuable. Many people come to tomato fights in swimsuits, shorts, or anything they don’t mind.

Where it all began

The festival itself is a celebration of the harvest, the end of summer. Held in honor of the patron saint of the city, Saint Louis Bertrand.

There are several versions of how it all began.

According to the first version, the young people decided to make fun of the authorities who were playing musical instruments On the market. Young people grabbed tomatoes from trays and threw them at the musicians. They played very poorly.

The musicians also began to respond to the crowd with vegetable shells. It all ended in a massacre. Somehow I liked it and it stuck.

According to another version, it all started in 1945. A parade took place in the city with “giants”-strongmen who carried huge figures on their shoulders. The people themselves were hidden under long clothes. It seemed as if giants were walking along the main square.

Due to a strong crush, one of these “giants” fell, became confused, and became very angry. Out of anger, he began to grab vegetables from the trays and throw them at the crowd. And so a fight ensued. The parade was quickly forgotten; everyone enjoyed throwing tomatoes at each other.

And that is not all

Since the 80s, participants in the massacre do not need to spend money on tomatoes. Like spoiling someone else's goods on the market.

Everything is quickly delivered to Plaza del Pueblo and distributed to everyone. The shells are brought in by trucks, but it seems there are never enough of them.

But that's not all that Tomatina will surprise you with.

  • The holiday itself officially begins after someone manages to climb onto a tall wooden pole smeared with soap. Its height is approximately 2 floors.
  • The winner receives a luxurious prize - pork ham (jamon).
  • Musicians perform in the streets and fireworks go off.

  • After 2 hours of battle have passed, everyone has the opportunity to swim in the pool of tomato juice.
  • At the same time, there is a fun fair, everyone dances, eats, and completely gives themselves over to the fun.
  • The city doesn't sleep at night. An annual competition is held: cooking the best paella followed by tasting.

Video

Time of Tomatina

By the way, you will need to buy a ticket. There are two options:

  • directly in the city before the start of the festival.
  • can be ordered through the website http://latomatina.ru.

Attention! The number of tickets is limited.

What is the price

Participation fee: 10 euros.

Official site: www.tomatina.es

How to get there

  • By car

From Valencia
Take Avenida del Cid towards Madrid, along the A¬3 highway. At exit 332 (Salida 332), follow the signs for Buñol. Bright posters usually appear before the holiday, so don’t miss it.

From Alicante
From the city, follow the signs for Valencia, take the A7 highway to exit 332 (Salida 332), you can easily find your way there.

From Madrid
On the A¬3 highway, direction Valencia city. Take exit Salida 319. Continue on to Buñol.

  • Get there by train

From Barcelona
Barcelona-Valencia, the train leaves from Estación de Sant station to the city of Valencia, where there is a change to Buñol. The journey will take 3 hours.

From Madrid
From Madrid to Valencia by AVE train, the journey takes 1 hour 35 minutes.

Address: Spain, Buñol

Buñol on the map

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