Cavalcade of the Three Wise Men
The Three Wise Men arrive to the city by boat, after a long journey to fulfil the dreams of young and old people
The kids wait impatiently for the Tree Wise Men who arrive at the Serrallo to tour the city accompanied by the pages and floats.
Traditionally, on 5th January every year, Three Wise Men from the East arrive in Tarragona to bring gifts to all the children and adults. They arrive by boat to the Serrallo, Tarragona´s maritime district, and from there, they get on their floats to stroll through the city´s main streets until they reach the Town Hall, where they receive the keys of the city from the Mayor to access all the houses of Tarragona and to be able to leave the gifts in all the homes.
Usual timetable:
Arrival at the Serrallo
- At 6.15 p.m., arrival by sea in the city of Their Majesties the Three Wise Men of the East - Melchior, Gaspar, and Balthasar - greeted by the sirens of the ships in the port, as well as by 21 fireworks in homage to the magnanimous personalities. The pages of the Magi also light-coloured flares to signal their entry into the city.
- This is followed by the speech of welcome to the Magi and greeting by the blond-haired King Gaspar on behalf of Their Majesties.
- Once the speech is over, there are fireworks to welcome the Three Wise Men and the procession is taken to the starting point of the parade, in the Plaça dels Infants and Carrer Reial.
The Cavalcade
-
At 7 p.m., from Plaça dels Infants-Carrer Reial, the Three Wise Men's Cavalcade begins, which is opened by the motorised City Guard and the coach of the Lamp of the city of Tarragona, and which includes - among others - the coach of the Star, which has guided the Three Wise Men to our city, that of the Waterwheel, to supply water to all their beasts, and those of the Dromedary, the Camel and the Elephant. (The centenary Elephant chariot began to parade through the streets of the city in 1921 accompanying their Majesties the Three Wise Men from Orient)
-
Itinerary: plaça dels Carros, carrer Apodaca, plaça de la Mitja Lluna, carrer Unió, Rambla Nova, carrer Sant Agustí, Portalet and Plaça de la Font.
Arrival at the Plaça de la Font and greeting to the city
- At around 8.30 p.m., the arrival at the Plaça de la Font is expected, with the sounding of the bugles and timpani to greet the Magi, the handing over of the keys to the city by the Mayor, and the message of peace to the children by the kings Melchior, Gaspar, and Balthazar, followed by the distribution of gifts to all the homes in the city.