NATIONAL HOLIDAY IN SPAIN ON OCTOBER 12

Many Spaniards also refer to this special national holiday, October 12, as Dia de La Hispanidad, although it is now known as Fiesta Nacional de Espana.

The national holiday celebrates the expansion of the Spanish language and culture beyond the borders of Europe to the countries of Latin America and the USA.
In this respect, October 12 is a reminder of the unity of the Spanish-speaking world and its roots.
This is why the Spanish national holiday is also known as Columbus Day, as the native Italian first set foot on American soil on October 12, 1492 with the expedition he launched for Spain.
Christopher Columbus’ expedition was generously supported by the then Spanish Queen Isabella I and her husband Alfonso II. Without their help, Columbus would not have been able to embark on his expedition.
Thanks to his efforts, the discovery of America also marked the beginning of the spread of the Spanish language in the New World and he has been celebrated as a national hero in Spain ever since.
There are numerous monuments and statues in honor of Christopher Columbus. On Ibiza, you can admire the “Egg of Columbus” in Sant Antoni de Portmany at the entrance to the harbor promenade. It is the only one of its kind in the world with a height of 6 meters (reinforced concrete) and a replica of the Columbus ship Santa Maria measuring around 2.8 meters inside the ice.
Incidentally, the bow of the ship points towards the American continent.
An iron Columbus column in Corinthian style was erected in Barcelona in 1888.
Here, the statue of Christopher Columbus also looks high up towards America.
The column can be found at the southern end of the Rambla on the Placa del Portal de la Pau.
Numerous celebrations take place throughout Spain on October 12, including a military parade in Madrid, parades, music and dance events and fairs.
Many celebrations end with a big fireworks display.
Each city and region celebrates differently.
Find out what there is to see on the Balearic Islands.