Easter week in Andorra

Andorra, in the province of Teruel, is one of the nine villages that form part of Aragón’s Route of the Drum and Bass Drum.

Throughout Holy Week, the resounding beats of drums and bass drums fill the streets of these towns in southern Aragón. In Andorra, the most eagerly anticipated moment is the Rompida de la Hora, held at midnight between Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. Thousands of drummers gather in Plaza del Regallo and, as the clock strikes midnight, begin playing together in unison, creating a distinctive and thunderous sound that reverberates through the night.

Just a few hours later, long lines of people carrying drums and bass drums make their way across the hills towards the hermitage of San Macario. There, they pray in complete silence, surrounded by the flickering light of torches — a striking contrast to the powerful rhythms of the midnight gathering.

As evening falls on Good Friday, the Santo Entierro (Holy Burial) procession takes place. The sound of the drums and bass drums accompanies the religious images through the village streets, creating a deeply moving moment for participants and spectators alike.

Holy Week is one of Spain’s most deeply rooted religious celebrations, shaped by centuries of history and tradition. It commemorates the Passion and death of Jesus Christ. During these days, streets across towns and cities become places of faith and devotion, where solemn reflection and mourning blend with music, art, colour and the evocative atmosphere of religious processions, as crowds accompany sacred images through the streets.