Gijón Nativity Scene to Commemorate 1936 Fire with Balneario de Las Carolinas Replica

The Asociación Belenista de Gijón is preparing a large-scale nativity scene for the 2025-2026 holiday season, focusing its design on the historic Balneario de Las Carolinas. This cultural project is scheduled to open on December 5, 2025, and run through January 7, 2026, serving as an artistic tribute to the seaside bathing establishment destroyed by fire in 1936. The installation will be presented at the Centro Cultural Antiguo Instituto (CCAI), located at C/ Jovellanos, 21 in Gijón, a venue known for hosting varied cultural programming.

The centerpiece of the display is substantial, measuring five and a half meters wide by seven meters long, reflecting the association's commitment to a significant public presentation. Elvira Suárez, president of the collective, has indicated confidence that the scene will attract considerable public interest. The historical significance of the Balneario de Las Carolinas is central to this year's theme, offering a tangible connection to Gijón's history as a prominent resort destination between 1874 and 1936. Constructed in 1887, Las Carolinas was one of four major bathing facilities on Playa de San Lorenzo, alongside La Favorita, La Sultana, and La Cantábrica, representing the leisure activities of the era's bourgeoisie.

The logistical demands of the project are considerable, requiring three separate transport trips solely for the 'celaje' component, which points to the complexity of handling the large-scale figures and scenery. This major display anchors a broader cultural calendar organized by the association, which includes contributions from artisans such as the Cerrada brothers, Ángeles Cámara, José Luis Mayo Nebrija, and Javier Guilloto. The 'VI Ruta de Belenes Villa de Jovellanos' is set to begin on December 13, 2025, incorporating numerous local displays throughout the city.

Formal activities will commence with the traditional opening address, or 'pregón,' to be delivered by Felix Baragaño, President of the Gijón Chamber of Commerce, on December 12. To enhance community engagement, the association has scheduled two open workshop days on December 9 and December 15, providing the public with direct observation of the artisanal creation process. Furthermore, the association is expanding its thematic outreach by sponsoring a separate, maritime-themed nativity scene to be displayed at the chapel of San Esteban del Mar starting December 10, 2025. This effort places the historical recreation within a contemporary artistic setting, as the CCAI is also hosting the XXII Encuentros Fotográficos de Gijón 2025, which concludes on January 6, 2026.