Thousands of revellers packed Berga's main square as fire-devil performers showered the crowd with sparks during Catalonia's UNESCO-listed La Patum festival.
The annual La Patum festival transformed the main square of Berga, a town in the Catalan pre-Pyrenees, into a spectacle of fireworks, flames and thick smoke as the "Plens" - fire-devil performers covered in pyrotechnics - danced among crowds of thousands.
Reuters footage captured the festival's most iconic moment as the Plens filled the square, creating a dramatic display of light, smoke and sound while revellers danced beneath cascading sparks. The performers, dressed in costumes adorned with fireworks, moved through the packed square as pyrotechnics erupted around them, turning the historic space into what witnesses described as a sea of fire.
Held each year during the Corpus Christi celebrations, the festival combines medieval traditions, music, giant figures, mythical creatures and pyrotechnic displays. La Patum traces its origins to medieval Corpus Christi festivities and has been recognised by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity since 2005.
Dating back more than six centuries, the event remains a powerful symbol of Catalan cultural identity, attracting thousands of participants and visitors to Berga each year. The celebration unfolds over several days, with the Plens performance marking one of its most dramatic and visually striking moments.
Beyond the pyrotechnics, La Patum represents a living link to Catalonia's medieval past. The festival features processions of giant figures depicting historical and mythical characters, traditional music played on local instruments, and dances passed down through generations. Each element carries symbolic significance tied to the region's history and cultural resilience.
UNESCO's recognition highlighted the festival's role in maintaining community cohesion and passing cultural knowledge from one generation to the next. The designation also brought increased international attention to Berga, a town of around 16,000 residents that swells with visitors during the festival.
Local authorities and cultural organisations work throughout the year to prepare the intricate costumes, coordinate performances and implement safety measures for the pyrotechnic displays. The festival's survival, including through periods of political repression, underscores its enduring importance to Catalan identity.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has called for a renewed round of Russia-Ukraine peace talks during a two-day visit to Kyiv, as Ankara seeks to r...
Slovak President Peter Pellegrini says cooperation with Azerbaijan is moving beyond formal diplomacy, with new opportunities emerging in energy, defen...
A woman whose husband was sucked out of the window of a plane during a Ryanair flight has recounted pulling her husband to safety. Serbian couple Svet...
Slovak President Peter Pellegrini says cooperation with Azerbaijan is moving beyond formal diplomacy, with new opportunities emerging in energy, defence, cybersecurity, trade and education.
A woman whose husband was sucked out of the window of a plane during a Ryanair flight has recounted pulling her husband to safety. Serbian couple Svetlana Maksimovic and Ljubisa Karovic had just settled into a flight with the airline last week, when a loud bang pierced the hum of engines.
Keir Starmer has reaffirmed that the UK's "unwavering" support for Ukraine will continue, during his final visit to the country as Prime Minister.
Pakistan is set to become a founding member of the China-led World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organisation (WAICO), with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar travelling to Shanghai on Thursday to sign the founding agreement during a two-day visit.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced the reimposition of a U.S. naval blockade on all Iranian ports and warned that power plants and bridges could be targeted next week unless Tehran returns to negotiations.
The United States carried out a third consecutive night of airstrikes against Iran, targeting military capabilities around the Strait of Hormuz as Donald Trump announced the reinstatement of a blockade on Iranian shipping and proposed a 20% fee on cargo passing through the strategic waterway.
The U.S. military announced that it has completed a new wave of strikes against Iranian military targets under U.S. President Donald Trump's orders. The operation targeted command centres, air defence systems, missile and drone facilities, and coastal surveillance sites across multiple locations.
The death toll from the fire at a live music pub in Bangkok has climbed to 32 after two more victims died from their injuries, according to Thailand's Police Hospital.
Ukraine and Russia exchanged fresh attacks on Tuesday, with Kyiv targeting shipping and energy infrastructure inside Russia while Moscow launched another large-scale missile and drone assault on Ukrainian cities.
The airline captain celebrated for safely landing a passenger jet on New York's Hudson River in 2009 has revealed he has been diagnosed with early-stage Alzheimer's disease.
New Zealand actor Sam Neill, best known internationally for his role in 'Jurassic Park', died suddenly on Monday aged 78 after recovering from cancer, his family said.
Uzbekistan has approved a new film rebate programme offering foreign productions up to 4 billion soums (around U.S.$315,000) in reimbursement as it seeks to attract international filmmakers and boost tourism through cinema.
More than 100 countries now spend more on servicing debt than on education, UNESCO has warned, as it called on governments and international lenders to expand the use of debt-for-education swaps.
The Welsh rock singer Bonnie Tyler, best known for the global hit "Total Eclipse of the Heart," has died aged 75 in Portugal.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment