Spanish National Day
National Holiday in Spain
Spain’s National Holiday, otherwise known as Hispanic Day or Fiesta Nacional de España or Día de la Hispanidad (in Spanish) is Spain’s national day.
It is held annually on October 12th.
This national holiday commemorates the exact date when Christopher Columbus first set foot in the Americas.
Columbus' voyages across the Atlantic Ocean initiated the European exploration and colonization of the Americas.
While the first voyage in 1492 was immensely significant, Columbus did not actually reach the american mainland until his 3rd voyage in 1498.
Instead, while trying to find a sea route to India, he made landfall on an island in the Bahamas that he named San Salvador He was also not the earliest European explorer to reach the Americas.
The Presidente del Gobierno has also a special role in the ceremony, only second to the King. Then a wide array of authorities, from foreign diplomats deployed in Spain to members of the Autonomous governments, are invited to attend the parade.
Apart from the huge parade in the Madrid, there are plenty of other celebrations that take place throughout the rest of the country.
In the Autonomous Community of Aragon, this date also commemorates Our Lady of the Pillar (their patroness). It is also observed by the Civil Guard.
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