Valencia’s world-famous Fallas celebrations start with spectacular fireworks display

VALENCIA’S Fallas celebrations started on Sunday with a show and fireworks display at the city’s Serranos Towers.

The traditional grand opening saw thousands of people gathering in front of the iconic structure- four months after the region was struck by the floods.

Valencia mayor, Maria Jose Catala said that everybody had to be united more than ever and expressed her solidarity with neighbouring towns that bore the brunt of the devastation.

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• Annual Fallas in Spain’s Valencia come to a spectacular and noisy end

From Saturday, there will be the daily and very noisy explosion of fireworks at the Plaza del Ayuntamiento at 2pm.

Up to March 15, there’s a display at the city’s Science Museum of the famous big statues known as ninots before they are sent back out to city districts.

Most of the creations have a sense of irony and social commentary mixed with humour.

Ninots of Donald Trump, Adolf Hitler, Josef Stalin, and General Franco plus Spanish politicians have all featured in recent years.

All of the giant statues are burnt in the ‘Crema’ at the end of the Fallas on March 19.

The celebrations date back to the 15th century when carpenters celebrated the arrival of spring by burning wooden planks used to prop up their lamps during winter.

That date is also the feast day of the patron saint of carpenters, San Jose, Valencia’s patron saint.

Valencia’s big showcase event was included on UNESCO’s cultural heritage of humanity list in 2016.