October 11 and 12 Cartagena celebrates the National Day of Spain

Military displays and guided tours of a minesweeper and the Arsenal of Cartagena on the Día de la Hispanidad

As a city of great naval and military importance throughout its history, Cartagena is perhaps the most enthusiastic place in the Region of Murcia in its commemorations of the “Día de la Hispanidad”, Spain’s National Day, every 12^th October, and this year numerous events and activities are scheduled as the pomp and flag-waving receives the backing of the Town Hall.

The Town Hall has handed out 1,000 free flags with which local businesses and residents are invited to adorn their balconies in the old city centre, and the lamp posts in the centre have also been decorated in this fashion as the big day approaches. Among the streets receiving this special treatment are Paseo Alfonso XIII, Alameda de San Antón, Calle del Carmen, Puerta de Murcia, San Diego, the Cuesta del Batel, the Paseo del Muelle and Calle Real, and of course the Town Hall building itself is also draped in yellow and red.

The military units taking part in the official celebrations are the Regimiento de Artillería Antiaérea (RAAA-73) belonging to the Spanish army, the Academia General del Aire (representing the air forcé). The Escuela de Infantería de Marina “General Albacete y Fuster (EIMGAF)”, the Guardia Civil, the Unidad de Música del Tercio de Levante and a Batería de Salvas of the RAAA-73.

The timetable for the weekend, which of course will be observed with military precision, includes the following:

Friday October 11

19.32: As the sun sets in the Plaza Mayor alongside the port the flag will be solemnly raised and saluted by the military personnel taking part.

Saturday October 12

11.00 to 18.00: Display of equipment used by the army’s diving and ground to earth artillery units at the “Juan Sebastián de Elcano” cruise ship terminal, along with the “Zaragoza nº5” parachute infantry unit and the parachuting school of the air base in Alcantarilla.

An information point will be manned throughout.

10.30 to 14.00: Guided tours of the Arsenal and the submarine port.

10.30 to 14.00: Guided tours of the `Sella´ minesweeper at the Muelle Juan Sebastián de Elcano.

19.00: Concert by the band of the Tercio de Levante infantry división in the “Paraninfo” of the Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena. Admission free of charge.

For more upcoming events in the Region of Murcia go to the What’s on section of Murcia Today.