Gurriato is not only the name given to the sparrow’s chicken: it is also the (colloquial) name given to the residents of San Lorenzo de El Escorial. And for more than a quarter of a century, the gurriata Christmas is not understood without one of its most famous traditions -declared, by the way, Fiesta of Regional Tourist Interest in 2023-: the Monumental Nativity Scene of San Lorenzo de El Escorial.
This year the Monumental Nativity Scene can be seen again in the streets of San Lorenzo de El Escorial from Saturday, December 7 at 1 pm, when it will be inaugurated in the Plaza de la Constitución.
The peculiarity of this great nativity scene has to do, on the one hand, with its dimensions, since the figures are life-size. And, on the other hand, with the fact that they are made in a completely handmade way. According to the Town Council, this attraction attracts more than 80,000 visitors every year.
Scenes of the Monumental Nativity Scene of San Lorenzo de El Escorial
Among the scenes that have been seen in previous editions we find the Annunciation, the market, the Arab quarter, the Three Wise Men and, of course, the Nativity -the designs change every year and you can find a selection of them here-. You can also see Roman soldiers, shepherds and a great variety of animals: from pigs, goats and sheep to tigers, elephants or flamingos.
In total, it is estimated that the Monumental Nativity Scene is made up of some 500 figures scattered throughout the emblematic streets and squares of the historic center. On the other hand, there are accessibility ramps so that people with reduced mobility can visit the scenes comfortably.