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All Spain Madrid Museum of Popular Art and Traditions

Museum of Popular Art and Traditions

Strange masks and obscure costumes are housed in this old Madrid corrala.

Madrid, Spain

Added By
Luis Morato
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“Giants and big heads.”   Luis Morato / Atlas Obscura User
View of the building where the museum is located known as “corrala”   Luis Morato / Atlas Obscura User
The “jarramplas”.   Luis Morato / Atlas Obscura User
“The peliqueiro”.   Luis Morato / Atlas Obscura User
The “cucurrumacho”.   Luis Morato / Atlas Obscura User
Peropalo   Xavixavir / Atlas Obscura User
The “arrabel” is a musical instrument made by lamb bones.   Luis Morato / Atlas Obscura User
Detail of the disguise of an Almonacid evil.   Luis Morato / Atlas Obscura User
Strange being with oak leaves face.   Luis Morato / Atlas Obscura User
Giant “chulapa” and “chulapo”   Xavixavir / Atlas Obscura User
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About

This small and easy-to-miss museum is housed in an old rehabilitated corrala, or a Spanish apartment building with balconies overlooking a central interior courtyard.

Inside, the collection is a feast for the senses. The permanent exhibition includes daily utilities from popular houses, musical instruments, ceramics, jewelry, and other curious objects, many of which came from the Museum of Fine Arts. The real highlight of this amazing collection is the assortment of costumes and masks of the strange, bizarre, and sometimes disturbing traditional characters depicted in popular celebrations across Spain.

Many of these costumes resemble ancient characters like the Peliqueiros seen at the Galician Carnival. They are said to represent 16th-century Galacian taxmen. Also included in the exhibit are the Jarramplas, a strange character designed to represent the purge of all things negative. During the Piornal Festival of Extremadura, these mythical characters are belted by festival-goers with turnips throughout the streets.

A particular disturbing costume is that of the Cucurrumacho, a hairy being with goat or cow antlers. The Cucurrumacho is believed to have roots in Celtic traditions, but is a staple at the Navalosa Carnival, in Avila, Spain. In this tradition, a small number of locals run through the streets of the village of Navalosa (in Castile) disguised as evil beings. The devils of Almonacid del Marquesado (Castilla-La Mancha) and "giants and big heads" are of the same city in Madrid.

Related Tags

Museums History & Culture Artifacts

Know Before You Go

The museum is situated in the heart of Madrid with the closest tube station being Tirso de Molina. Also, the museum is closed on Mondays.

Community Contributors

Added By

Luis Morato

Edited By

hrnick, Xavixavir

  • hrnick
  • Xavixavir

Published

July 7, 2018

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Sources
  • https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peliqueiro
  • https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navalosa
  • https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Endiablada#Estudios_y_documentales_sobre_la_Endiablada
  • https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jarramplas
  • https://www.esmadrid.com/en/tourist-information/museo-de-artes-y-tradiciones-populares?utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.es%2F
Museum of Popular Art and Traditions
3 C. de Carlos Arniches
Madrid, 28005
Spain
40.408823, -3.708235
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