Matinades de grallers

MATÍ DE FESTA MAJOR

Route: Plaça de la Mercè, streets and squares in the Gothic Quarter, plaça de Sant Jaume

The gralla must have been around for a long time, because there are similar instruments in many cultures. It is a wind instrument made from a 30-centimetre-long wooden tube with a double reed that amplifies the sound it produces. If you’re not sure what it is, it's the sound that always accompanies the human tower builders, normally accompanied by kettledrums. These gralla players usually come from the giant, human tower and devil festival groups from across the city, and they accompany the drummers. You are invited to experience the Diada de la Mercè from the early hours, with the traditional early morning wake-up call, or Toc de Matinada. Don’t do anything in bed, it's Festival time!