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La Voz de Madrid

Alcalá de Henares Celebrates Easter Monday with its Traditional Hornazo

The Hornazo Alcalaíno festival, revived through neighborhood efforts and municipal support, included a gluten-free version this year.

Image of an 'hornazo alcalaíno', a traditional Easter sweet bread with a hard-boiled egg in the center.
IA

Image of an 'hornazo alcalaíno', a traditional Easter sweet bread with a hard-boiled egg in the center.

Alcalá de Henares commemorated Easter Monday with the traditional Hornazo Alcalaíno festival, a sweet bread symbolizing renewal and community, which this year featured a gluten-free version to promote inclusion.

The city of Alcalá de Henares once again indulged in the sweetness of its popular Hornazo Alcalaíno to celebrate Easter Monday. This tradition, though intermittent in the past, has been successfully re-established in recent years. This sweet bread, similar to the Monas de Pascua found in other Spanish regions, is a cornerstone of local identity.
The revival of this festivity is the result of a concerted effort by the Asociación de Vecinos del Val, the support of the Alcalá de Henares City Council, and crucially, the dedication of chef Iván Plademunt. He is the mastermind behind the hornazos enjoyed at the celebration, successfully re-establishing Easter Monday as the day of the Hornazo Alcalaíno.
The event was attended by various municipal authorities, including the first deputy mayor, Isabel Ruiz Maldonado, and councilors Antonio Saldaña, Pilar Cruz, Esther de Andrés, and Víctor Cobo, as well as socialist councilors Diana Díaz, Enrique Nogués, and Rosa Gorgues. The associations of Vecinos del Val and Hijos y Amigos de Alcalá also actively participated.
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"The Hornazo Alcalaíno is much more than a recipe; it is a symbol of renewal, community, and identity linked to the end of Lent and the arrival of spring. It represents a simple gesture that encapsulates centuries of history."

Iván Plademunt · Chef
During the celebration, chef Iván Plademunt not only highlighted the deep cultural value of the hornazo but also announced a significant innovation: the introduction, for the first time, of a gluten-free version. This initiative aims to promote inclusion, allowing more people to enjoy this deeply rooted tradition without compromising its cultural essence.
The festive day was enlivened by various cultural groups, such as the “Quintería” dance group from the Casa Regional Castilla-La Mancha, the Grupo de Dulzainas de Alcalá, the Asociación Cultural “Pliego de Cordel”, the Escuela de Baile Belén Rodríguez, the dulzaina group from the Centro de Castilla y León, and the Coro y Rondalla del Henares, all with the collaboration of the Alcalá de Henares City Council.

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