Tobarra: Drum Tradition, Culture and Nature

During Holy Week, drums are played continuously in Tobarra for 104 hours—from Wednesday afternoon until the early hours of Easter Sunday.

Culture

On Cerro de la Encarnación stands the Santuario del Cristo de la Antigua y Virgen de la Encarnación, next to the remains of Tobarra’s former Arab castle. The Santuario was declared a National Historic-Artistic Monument in 1981. It combines Mudéjar, Gothic, Baroque and Rococo elements. Inside are a Mudéjar wooden ceiling and 16th-century wall paintings. The Santuario is open for worship year-round, with opening times varying according to the season; the Eucharist is celebrated on Friday mornings.

The Iglesia de la Asunción de Tobarra was built between 1546 and 1616 and combines Gothic and Renaissance stylistic elements. The Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción has a single-nave layout divided into three sections, with two chapels on each side and a five-sided apse. The Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción also contains a Dolorosa by Salzillo and a processional statue of Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno.

The Museo del Tambor y de la Semana Santa is located in the former Iglesia de la Purísima, a 17th-century church in Tobarra. The museum explains the traditional craft process used to make Tobarra’s drums; this tradition has been kept alive from generation to generation. The Tamborada of Tobarra is a communal ritual held in the town’s streets and passed down from family to family. It is recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

The Monumento al Tambor is a five-metre-high sculpture by local craftsman Jesús Damián Jiménez Ramírez and a symbol of Tobarra’s drum tradition. The celebrations include novenas in honor of the saint, as well as traditional auctions and “carretillas” on Calle de La Parra. On the first Sunday of the celebrations, Calle de La Parra hosts a craft market featuring a wide range of handicrafts and gastronomic products from the province of Albacete.

Nature

Laguna de Alboraj is a protected karst wetland in the municipality of Tobarra and was designated a micro-reserve in 2000. It is considered an excellent place for observing wildlife. The wetland is home to specialized plant communities, including a significant population of the endangered plant Helicantherrium polygonoides.

History

Tobarra Castle is of Islamic origin and formed part of the medieval defense system protecting routes and settlements. El Castellar de Sierra is a Hispano-Muslim archaeological site between the hamlets of Sierra and Cordovilla in the area of Tobarra. The castle or fortress dates approximately from the 11th century; monumental structures still survive.

The rock sanctuary Eremitorio rupestre de Albojarico is a cultural heritage site in the area of Tobarra. Its origin is unclear: possibilities include Mozarabic rock churches or a refuge for shepherds and livestock.

More local pages: Los Alejos, Bonete, Casas De Juan Núñez, Yeste, Corral-Rubio, La Gila, Alcalá Del Júcar.

Cuisine

Restaurant Frontera in Tobarra specializes in traditional Manchego cuisine and frequently uses products from the surrounding area, including black truffles grown by the owners themselves.

To the main travel overview: Albacete.