THE ARTICULATED NATIVITY SCENE OF VALGA

Valga’s handicraft Crib in motion is one of the most spectacular Nativity scenes in Galicia, not only for its size, but also because it incorporates modern elements, as it is not limited to collecting typical religious scenes.

It is one of the most important social and cultural events of the year and one of the most eagerly anticipated, not only by the local population but also by the thousands of people who travel from different parts of Galicia to Valga with the sole purpose of enjoying and closely examining these small and endearing hand-carved figures. They represent all kinds of Christmas scenes as well as different aspects of daily life and current affairs in Valga and throughout Spain. This is all possible thanks to the effort and dedication of a group of neighbours, supported by the Town Hall.

There are many Nativity scenes set up throughout Galicia and Spain during Christmas. However, this crib is not only limited to representing the Nativity but places it within the setting of a Galician village, especially one of the small villages of Valga. The scenes do not only include the traditional desert and camels, which are also present, but visitors can also see how the traditional slaughter of the pig is carried out or how a woman milks a cow, among many other scenes representing rural Galicia in a landscape with different microclimates within a very large space.

It is considered the largest handcrafted articulated Nativity scene in Galicia and one of the largest in Spain. It is composed of more than 3,000 pieces, about 300 of which are in motion, distributed throughout approximately 250 m² that the crib occupies.

Along with the classic religious scenes —the Magi and the Nativity— there are many others inspired by Galician traditions, such as the pig slaughter, the blacksmith’s workshop, wheat harvesting, the making of wine and spirits, and even “Santa Compaña”, the legendary nocturnal procession of spirits. Local scenes are also represented, such as the different religious processions that take place throughout the year in the municipality, the Youth Festival or the old brick factory located next to the current location of the crib as it was in its early days.

Among the figures there are also some well-known personalities from the municipality of Valga, such as Bella Otero and Xesús Ferro Couselo, as well as famous figures from Galicia including Rosalía de Castro, Castelao and Camilo José Cela.

There is also room for current social and political life: football players from the Spanish national team, election debates and other contemporary scenes. Among them, a hidden character is placed each year that visitors must try to find. As a reward, the winner receives one of the figures of the Nativity scene.

The figures and decorations are made using paper, plaster, modelling clay, wire, wood, stone and cloth, making the entire work one hundred percent handcrafted.

The Nativity scene can be visited every day of the week from the first Sunday in December until the second Sunday in January. During the rest of the year it can also be visited by contacting the Cultural Association of Friends of the Nativity Scene of Valga.

These original features undoubtedly give this Nativity scene its unique character and attract a large number of visitors every year. In recent editions the estimated number of attendees reached around 40,000 people.

The Articulated Craft Nativity Scene of Valga was declared of Galician Tourist Interest in 2013.