What to See
Parish Church
The most important building in Bigastro is the Parish Church dedicated to the Virgen de Belén.. It is divided into three naves; the central is higher and wider than the laterals, it is crowned by a dome that light up. In its four scallops are represented the figures of four Evangelists.
In one of the lateral chapels you can find the image of San Joaquin, patron saint of Bigastro, sculpture of the seventeenth-century of the famous master Salzillo, and it is considered one of the most important works of baroque imagery of the region.
Within the municipal area is still survived some constructions that answer to a Mediterranean typology, and date back of beginning of century. We can distinguish the lordly houses and farmland.
San Isidro Chapel
Recently built in honour to the Saint, it is located in the leisure area of La Pedrera, surrounded by native species such as pine and carob trees and is the point of destination of the pilgrimage to San Isidro in May. In the area of Las Lomas, there are natural and emblematic spaces of Bigastro that are characteristic for the variety of native flora and fauna, there have been found archaeological remains belonging to the Late Bronze Age. These are stone material, pottery and remains of masonry walls belonging to houses. The pieces are in the Archaeological Museum of Orihuela.
Archaeological Deposits
If we confine ourselves to the geographical - political official delimitation, we only find a deposit in the municipal area. However when we study together the origin and the evolution of the occupation from the Prehistory of the territory bigastrense, it should be taken into account at least one more archaeological deposit, neighbour to this term, so that they will be two deposits those that must be included: La Loma de Bigastro and Los Palacios.
La Loma
Situated on the road Hurchillo-Torremendo, is accessed by a road on the left, when you pass the 4 kilometre. It is an elongated hill, composed of clays, marls and sandstones, with several watercourses in the proximites. Its coordinates U.T.M. are X = 684.250, Y = 214.350. Latitude N = 38º 03' 28''. Length = W 0º 54' 00''.
The owner is Bigastro's Town hall, and they are being exploited by the ICONA.
Although its state of conservation can be considered good, suffers danger of destruction both for the erosive agents and for clandestine operations.
There are few data and studies about this deposit. The Jesuit priest Julio Furgús that looked for and excavated in deposit of the Vega Baja at the beginning of the 20th century, already knew it, though in his work just mention it. There are preserved materials, furniture, ceramic and stone, from it, due to surveys carried out by the municipal archaeologist of Orihuela D. Emilio Diaz, and deposited in the Municipal Museum of Orihuela. Other preserved materials are weight of loom, carried out in baked clay and mills.
Regarding material properties, is outlined the verification of remains of masonry walls that belonged to rectangular houses.
In 1985 was published an article about the late and Final Bronze in the Vega Baja, where there are enumerated deposits between which is included La Loma. The authoress distinguishes it like the most interesting that we have gathered, since it presents typical features, and in view of the number of remains that are possessed.
Ceramic forms are the most interesting data provided, highlighting the material evidence that may exist in the culture framed by Argar, belonging to the Bronze House. Certain ceramic remains classified by the parallels in the Late Bronze and final, becoming Iberian later.
With regard to materials belonging to this Iberian period, it is necessary to mention the presence of the ceramics with his typical features as well as the ceramics ática of black glaze, which serves to date more exactly these deposits.
Los Palacios
Its location officially belongs to the municipality of Orihuela, although due to his proximity to Bigastro we can consider it as a deposit which belong to Bigastro with regards to his development as a village should have taken place in lands that, centuries later, would be part of the municipality. Its Coordinates U.T.M. are X = 683.400, Y = 4.215.125. N latitude = 38º 03' 53''. Length W = 0º 54' 34''.
You can accede to it for the road from Orihuela to Torrevieja, in the proximities of the kilometre 4, before entering to Bigastro. The owners are Sofia and Maria Gálvez Pérez.
This is a small rise in full orchard, with regards to a type of deposit like populated and perhaps as villa, belonging to the Iberian and Roman culture, and data between the II. Century b.c. and the II Century d.c..
Its state of conservation can be qualified of much damaged due to the extraction of gravel and crops that are practiced in their land.
The materials that have been recovered, originate of exclusively from explorations for the non existent of excavations, which are deposited in the Municipal Archaeological Museum of Orihuela. These are osseous remains (fauna) metal (coin) and the most numerous, ceramics, as the Iberian ones campanienses, sigillata ,arentinas and sudgálicas, republican amphorae, common Roman, etc.
Holidays
Open air dances, barracks, the satirical street band, and the night procession are the essence of the festival of San Joaquin, in August. But there are many more: El Rosario de la Aurora, every Sunday of October where the auroros arise before dawn to walk the streets of Bigastro and pray the rosary, accompanied by songs and poems dedicated to the Virgin. And the feasts of the Holy Cross, the Pilgrimage of San Isidro, Santa Ana... The musical tradition goes back more than a century and is expressed in the prestige of the Banda Union Musical Bigastro.
The events of "The Grandfather", as San Joaquin is known popularly stand out from the others. In October 1993 were commemorated 200 years of the arrival in Bigastro of who is now its patron saint, immortalized in a sculpture of the maker religious images Salzillo.
From 6 to August 16 are celebrated the Festivities in honour to San Joaquin. To emphasizing the parade of coaches and folks group which takes place on August 15, the massive procession on the day August 16 y la fiesta de Moros y Cristianos.
More InformationBarrio de La Cruz
At the beginning of May, are celebrate the Feast of the Holy Cross in the Barrio de la Cruz in Bigastro.
All who come to the neighbourhood enjoy with the wide programming that is offered to children, young and old.
On Saturday morning the children are the big protagonists, they are entertained with those traditional games that their parents played in his infancy, as for example, the game of the chair, the scarf, the water balloon, the push-cart, careers of sacks, caught the apple, etc.
In the evening there takes place the contest of floral crosses. On Sunday, it is celebrated as usual, the Mass in honour to the Santa Cruz in the Park. Later all the neighbours and visitors can taste a giant paella to finish with an evening of infantile games.
Pilgrimage of San Isidro
Also in May takes place the traditional pilgrimage to San Isidro Labrador in Bigastro. Dozens of neighbours, many of them wearing life jackets, embroidered shawls and reeds of pilgrimage with olive branches, to accompany the patron saint to the recreational area of "La Pedrera" where is the chapel in honour the saint.
In the afternoon, they take the saint to the Church, and you can witness the famous "crema de la Falla" that neighbours of the Park Jose Nieto dedicate each year to San Isidro. The day ends at the Square with a fireworks castle.
Easter Like
Bigastro celebrates Easter like the other peoples of the Vega Baja demonstrating their devotion in those days.
In Bigastro the most important days are: Palm Sunday with the benediction of the Palms and procession, the Vía Crucis of Good Friday, and Ester Sunday with the Procession of Encuentro which has a special charm in that the people goes out to the street and takes part actively with great fervour. At half past seven in the morning they go out on one hand, the women accompanying to La Soledad which is the Virgen del Belén, with a black mantle; on the other hand the men accompany to Cristo Resucitado. When they meet there takes place a great "mascletá" that excited the faithful.
Also we can emphasize San Vicente's Monday, the Procession - Patients' communion, being this tradition already missing in other villages.
More InformationOther Holidays
- Santa Ana
- Carnival
- The Corpus
- The third Centenary
- Santa Cecilia
- Christmas
- Festival of Cultures Friends and Cinema