Firo Festival – 150 Years – Soller, Mallorca, Spain
Posted by: 
dtrebilc
N 39° 46.358 E 002° 42.471
31S E 474979 N 4402563
This monument erected in 2005 commemorates the 150th anniversary of the annual Firo festival in the town of Soller.
Waymark Code: WMG4NY
Location: Islas Baleares, Spain
Date Posted: 01/12/2013
Views: 5
The Mediterranean island of Mallorca has in the past been raided by pirates on numerous occasions. In 1561 twenty two Alegerian galleons set sail to attack the Port of Soller and the inland town of Soller itself.
Before arriving at Mallorca the pirates landed on the island of Ibiza for provisions. News about this managed to reach Mallorca before the pirates themselves.
This
website tells the story of how 600 local people banded together and defeated the pirates.
The 1700 pirates split into 2 separate groups and although one of the groups badly damaged the church of St. Bartholomew and captured women and children they had weakened themselves.
In 2 separate battles the pirates were defeated losing 211 of their comrades while only 6 Sollerics died.
Since 1855 a four day festival known as ‘Es Firo’ has been held in May every year. This memorial was erected by the co-ordinators of this festival to celebrate its anniversary.
The memorial consists of a small polished stone standing in a small cactus garden at the base of a stone latin cross.
The actual cross itself looks, old but the column new, although it does stand on an old looking 3 stepped base. I don’t know whether the cross has always been at this position or whether it was placed here at the same time as the commemorative stone. It stands on the corner of a junction on the outskirts of Soller. It marks the start of the procession from Soller to the port that takes place on the last day of the festival.
The stone has the following inscription in the Catalan language.
EN COMMEMORACTO
DEL 150 ANIVERSARI
DE LA CELEBRACIO
DEL FIRO
1855 - 2005
COORDINADORA 11 DE MAIG
“ALALLUITA SOLLERICS”
This can be translated as
IN COMMEMORATION
150 ANNIVERSARY
OF THE CELEBRATION
OF FIRO
1855 - 2005
COORDINATORS 11 MAY
“SALUTE THE SALURICS”