Every year, at the beginning of summer, during July, a town on the shores of the Ambroz, a river in Spain, holds a distinct celebration: “The Festival of the Conversos”. It is a cultural rendition around the coexistence of Christians and Jews, in these lands, during the Middle Ages.
Up till the expulsion of Jews from Spain, in 1492, Hervás had a large Jewish community, which later became known as the ¨Sephardic Jews¨. After the controversial Decree of Expulsion, some of them left for Portugal and other places. Others remained in Spain, also, in the town of Hervás, but they had to convert, forcibly, to Catholicism. They were known as the ¨Conversos¨. Their conversion to Christianity did not exempt them, later, to suffer from the injustices of the Inquisition.
To remember this period of mingling and cultural coexistence, also the subsequent period of turmoil and persecution, the people of Hervás, since 1997, continuously celebrate the ¨Festival of the Conversos¨.
A Play Produced by the Town People
The most important event at the Festival is a dramatic play that is produced, entirely, by the neighbors of the town. It is presented during four continuous nights, under the stars, along the shores of the Ambroz river. The specific place is known as “Fuente Chiquita” (Little Fountain), next to a Romanesque bridge and the Jewish quarter. The place is specially charming when the sun goes down. During the presentation the river is like a barrier between the audience and the actors. And the houses of Hervás are a magnificent backdrop to the play. The special effects created by the sound of the flowing water and the chiaroscuro of the reflecting river lights are an essential part of each presentation.
Hervás neighbors, all participate in this grand production, not only as actors but also in the creation of the wardrobes and stage design. Everybody is part of in this yearly endeavor, which enhances the wonderful meeting.
This year, 2024, they will premiere a play by Miguel Gómez Andrea (GOL) entitled “Pacto entre Damas” (Lady’s Pact) and tells the story of two women, one Jewish and the other Catholic, who join forces to achieve, each, a personal goal. A story is framed during the beginning of the 16th Century.
Now, a model to the whole region, the “Los Conversos Festival” attracts visitors from all over Spain, who gather in Hervás every summer.
Concerts, Lectures, Exhibits, Tastings and Guided Tours
The coexistence between Christians and Jews is alive in Hervás. This is evident during the guided tours to the Jewish quarter, while exploring the cuisine and the local traditions.
A ¨Medieval Market¨ is held during the ¨ Festival de Conversos¨. People dressed in typical Medieval costumes manage stalls that sell a great variety of products, from local handy crafts to food.
Additionally, during the ¨Festival¨ you can participate in numerous concerts, lectures and historical workshops as well as experience the taste of local gastronomical gems.
Hervás, one of the most beautiful towns in Extremadura
This is a place where you can keep on returning and always discover something new. The town grows at the shelter of a Protected Landscape: ¨Castañar Gallego¨ (the Galician Chestnut Grove) which offers hiking routes that turn magical, specifically, during the Autum months.
The “Ruta de la Plata” or the old Roman Silver Way, crosses the town of Hervás on its way to ¨Baños de Montemayor¨ or toward the ¨Tierras de Granadilla¨. It is a wonderful route for cyclist and hikers that passes over the iconic Iron Bridge that offers great views: on one side a beautiful view of the town of Hervás and on the opposite side, rises in the distance, the Calvitero, the tallest peak in Extremadura, from which a cold winter frost descends during the winter.
Hervás is surrounded by a fantastic landscape. The abundant vegetation and continuous water are always on site. Hervás is one of the most beautiful towns in Extremadura and one of the most visited by tourist in search of narrow alleys and dream corners that remember long gone past cultures that have a persistent influence today. It has turned into a current meeting place without losing the Extremadura essence.
Original article by Planveando Comunicaciones SL
Translated by Susana Windt
Published on July 2024
