La Pinochada de Vinuesa or Dance of Respect

We invite you to get to know and take part in this great popular festival that is celebrated every 16th August in Vinuesa. La Pinochada de Vinuesa is celebrated. It has been declared a Festival of Regional Tourist Interest since 1995, representing the ancient traditions of this region.

What does the Vinuesa Pinochada consist of?

The Pinochada de Vinuesa consists of a ritual of nuptial rites and ancient territorial disputes between the villages of Vinuesa and Covaleda over the Virgen del Pino. Since then it has been celebrated every 16th August, on the day of San Roque.

This ritual represents the forestry character of this popular festival, known as La Pinochada. Pine branches are used in the dispute between brotherhoods.

How are Vinuesa's patron saint festivities celebrated?

The Vinuesa Patron Saint Festivities are held from 14 to 18 August, with the big day, 16 August, being La Pinochada.

The celebration of this great popular festival begins beforehand with the following events: on the 14th of August, with the Pingada de Mayo , with the raising of two pine trees: in the Plaza Mayor and in the hermitage of La Soledad. In the evening, an offering is made to the Virgin, known as La Vela.

On the 15th of August, a mass is held in the morning and in the afternoon, the Baile del Campo Verde (Green Field Dance) takes place, based on a curious protocol, with the participation of captains, ensigns and sergeants.

The big day is the 16th of August with the celebration of La Pinochada, staging the traditional dispute between the inhabitants of Vinuesa and La Covaleda. Several women take part, magnificently dressed up as piñorras and equipped with pine branches.

The festivities begin with a large parade led by musicians and the banners of both brotherhoods, which runs through the main streets from the hermitage of La Soledad to the Plaza Mayor.

On arriving at the square, two armies are formed: men and women, with the married men facing off against the single men of both brotherhoods. At the end they throw their hats in the air, as a sign of shared victory.

It continues with the affront of the women, which ends with the victory of the married women. They go towards the men, hitting them gently with pine branches (pinochazos), to the sound of the saying "from today in a year ". The men reply with "thank you ". This singular and curious fact alludes to the female supremacy of the ancient matriarchy that existed at that time.

The festivities end with La Caldereta. It is an ancient ritual that enhances the livestock traditions, with the sacrifice of a cow, to be consumed among those attending the popular festivity.

Origins of the celebration of La Pinochada in Vinuesa

According to the tradition of this popular festival, the image of the Virgen del Pino appeared in a tree, between the villages of Vinuesa and Covaleda: its roots in one municipality and its top in the other, giving rise to a dispute over its possession.

It is said that in this dispute the women of Vinuesa defended their men with pine branches (the pinochos), driving away the fighters from Covaleda.

This ritual, known as La Pinochada, corresponds to the ancient nuptial rites of segregation to pass from one social group to another, through the performance of tests or rites.

On the other hand, several centuries ago, the Bodas de Santa María were celebrated, made up of two brotherhoods that brought together married people (the brotherhood of La Virgen del Pino) and single people (the brotherhood of San Roque).

Curiosities of the Pinochada of Vinuesa

Find out some curious and interesting facts about the Pinochada of Vinuesa:

• The Cofradía del Pino y San Roque de Vinuesa has been awarded the Colodra 2020 prize, granted by the Diputación Provincial de Soria.
• The rituals of the "Ofrenda de la Vela" and the "Baile del Campo Verde" are considered expressions of the intangible heritage of the town of Vinuesa.
• More than 350 women take part in La Pinochada, dressed in the typical regional costume of Vinuesa, known as 'piñorra'. It is made up of a red cloth skirt, a black silk bodice or justitillo in the shape of a beak, and a black shawl with embroidered figures of bouquets and flowers.

Recommendations for visitors

If you want to enjoy these festivities to the full, here are some recommendations and practical tips:

• Wear comfortable clothes and shoes.
• Book accommodation in advance in a rural hotel.

What else can you see or do if you go to Vinuesa?

It is worth visiting these places and historical monuments in Vinuesa:

• Casa de Los Ramos: it is a stately house of pine forest architecture, built in 1778. It has been declared an Asset of Cultural Interest.
• Hermitage of La Soledad: Gothic style building dating from the second half of the 16th century.
• Church of Nuestra Señora del Pino: a Gothic-Renaissance style church, built at the end of the 16th century. Its altar features the Virgen del Pino (Virgin of the Pine Tree).
• Palaces of Calle Luenga: several mansions and palaces of Vinuesa are located in Calle Luenga: Casa de Los Leones, Palacio de Las Escuelas.
• Palace of the Marquises of Vilueña: this is one of the most important and elegant palaces in Vinuesa, built in the 18th century. It is currently the village's old people's home.
• Vinuesa Reservoir: next to the bridge that crosses the reservoir are the ruins of an ancient Roman bridge, some 2,000 years old, submerged in the water.
• Plaza Mayor de Vinuesa: this is the meeting point for the town's festivities. The town hall, the parish church and the seminary are located here.
• Portalejo: this is an emblematic narrow street in the village. It has a crossroads with a passageway that connects the lower part of the village with the church and the Plaza Mayor.

Gastronomy in Vinuesa

We recommend the best typical dishes of Vinuesa, to taste the traditional flavours of this town:

• Ajo Carretero con Oveja: prepared with sheep's shoulder and neck meat, peppers, tomatoes, saffron and chilli.
• Caldereta: delicious stew prepared with lamb or veal, mushrooms, red pepper and boiled egg.
• Cordero con Hongos: lamb prepared with mushrooms, sherry wine and white wine.

Share photos, videos and interesting information about La Pinochada de Vinuesa or Baile del Respeto, on social networks. Use the hashtags #pinochada #vinuesa