If you like quirky and unusual traditions then you’ll love L’Ou Com Balla aka The Dancing Egg which takes place every year as part of Barcelona’s Corpus Christi celebrations.
Basically the idea is that an egg is placed in a fountain and dances suspended by a jet of water. There are a total of 12 eggs dancing in the patios of 12 public buildings, some of which aren’t usually open to the general public. The event is centred in the area around the Cathedral and most of the eggs are within walking distance of each other. There are just 3 which you’ll need to use public transport to get to.
“The Dancing Egg” dates back to 1637 and is unique to Barcelona. The egg is said to represent either the body of Christ or the circle of life. It takes place during the 4 days of Corpus Christi but the timetables of the individual locations vary slightly, as do the exact dates of Corpus Christi. You can find out this year’s dates here.
The Route:
- Reial Académia de Bones Lletres
- Palau del Lloctinent
- Museu Frederic Marès
- Casa de L’Ardiaca
- The Cloisters of Barcelona Cathedral
- Ateneu Barcelonès
- Església de Santa Anna
- Basílica de La Puríssima Concepció
- Co.legi Escolàpies Lluria
- The Pedralbes Monastery
- Taller Escola Sant Camil
- Parròquia de Sant Jeroni de Montbau
Map of “The Route of the Dancing Eggs”
Plaça Mossèn Ferran Palau 3, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
Carrer Sales i Ferré 60, 08041 Barcelona, Spain
Baixada del Monestir, 9, 08034 Barcelona, Spain
Carrer d'Aragó 302, 08009 Barcelona, Spain
This is a school, the entrance is on the corner of Aragon and Roger de Lluria
Look for the leaflets on the doorway, when you open the doors the fountains just in front of you. Dont worry about the kids!
Carrer de Roger de Llúria 70, 08037 Barcelona, Spain
C/ Santa Anna, 29, 08002 Barcelona, Spain
Carrer de la Canuda, 6, 08002 Barcelona, Spain
Plaça de la Seu, s/n, 08002 Barcelona, Spain
08002 Barcelona, Spain
08002 Barcelona, Spain
Carrer dels Comtes 2, 08002 Barcelona, Spain
Carrer del Bisbe Caçador3, 08002 Barcelona, Spain
