OVER THE BORDER
The legendary Tarlà hangs from a pole on the Ramblas throughout springtime in Girona.
Originally made out of sawdust, with a wooden head, today dressed as a jester, the tradition of this puppet dates back to the middle ages.
When the Black Death swept through the unsanitary, narrow streets, the authorities quarantined the rue de l’Argenteria to prevent further spreading of the plague.
Bored, unhappy residents, stuck for weeks or months in their homes, were entertained by a young acrobat known as ‘Tarlà’ with displays of acrobatics on poles erected between the narrow buildings.
Five hundred years later, the puppet is hung every year at either end of the street, symbolising festivity and solidarity.
