The 'Ruta del Tambor y el Bombo' (literally 'Drum and Bass Drum Route') is a Spanish celebration of Easter and the Passion of Christ. It takes place in nine towns in the province of Teruel, Aragon (in the regions of Andorra-Sierra de Arcos and Bajo Martin, Southern Aragon).
The tradition lies in starting to play the bass drum and the drum on Maundy Thursday or Good Friday, all together and at a certain time, emulating the tremor after Jesus death. This beginning is called "Rompida de la hora" (literally, Breaking Time) and starts in almost every village on Maundy Thursday at 12 pm immediately after a special signal that occurs in the Town Hall Square (except in Calanda, where it’s at 12 noon on Good Friday). Each town has their own drum rolls and a different color for their tunics.
The origin of this tradition comes from some ancient ceremony, although historically it is said to come from the Middle Ages, when knights of the military orders brought those two percussion instruments to these lands. However, this celebration was put on the map thanks to the filmmaker Luis Buñuel (from Calanda) who included images of it on some of their films.
Until the 1980s, men were the only ones who could play the drums in some of the towns. From that date, women have gradually incorporated.
Easter towns included in the Route of the Drum and the Bass Drum of Aragon are: Albalate del Arzobispo, Alcañiz, Alcorisa, Andorra, Calanda, Híjar, la Puebla de Híjar, Samper de Calanda y Urrea de Gaén.
The tradition was declared of National Tourist Interest in November 2005. Except in the town of Híjar, declared in 1980, 25 years earlier than any other town on the route.
On June 6, 2014, the Ministry of Industry and Tourism declared the 'Ruta del Tambor y el Bombo' as Fiesta of International Tourist Interest.