In early April, I visited Valencia, Spain, for an academic conference. I spent a few days there and had time to do a little sightseeing. I haven’t yet posted about it, and I wanted to share with you the falles, and the museum that houses the best one from each year, since the early 1900s.
Falles are sophisticated statues (made of papier-mache and other materials) of people, animals, and scenes, made for the city’s celebration of Saint Joseph. Each year, artists make them for the celebration and parade, and then they are all burned except for the one the people like the most. All of those that were saved each year are housed in a museum in Valencia, and I had a wonderful time wandering around this museum and admiring the abilities of these artists. Here is a sampling of some of the falles I enjoyed the most.
Aren’t they delightful? I found myself wishing I could create something as realistic and life-like. I’m glad these were preserved and not burned so I could enjoy them.
If you ever visit Valencia, I suggest a visit to Museo Fallero de Valencia. I also suggest eating the paella.
The Bookshelf of Emily J. 
Fascinating, thank you for sharing! I assumed this post was going to be about waterfalls, lol, so this was quite different from my expectations, but still very interesting.
Ha ha! I was unfamiliar with the word as well when I entered the museum, and I had no idea what to expect.
So neat! They do similar papier-mache figures in Barcelona for the city’s feast day, but they’re called “capgrossos” (big heads) and have huge bobbleheads!
How funny! I bet those are just as neat to see.
Emily, those are delightful! I could spend hours looking at them. Such detail. Thank you for sharing.
You are welcome. It was a really fun place!
That looks like such a fun museum! If I ever go to Valencia, I’ll go see it!
Sounds good!
These are beautiful! I can’t imagine making something like this every year and then burning it! 😁 What a talented people!
So true! I wanted to see all of them and I felt that something had been lost in the burning of them.
How fun! Valencia sounds like a wonderful place to visit — I’m glad you had a good time. 🙂 I love Spain!
Me too! What a great place.
Oh wow, I’ve never see anything like this before. How many are made/burned? It seems like such a waste…
I’m not sure. There are probably hundreds made each year.