Donostia will once again relive a very special and emotional day this year to remember the tragic events of August 31, 1813, a date with the history and memory of our city. On August 31, 2026, it will be 213 years since the Anglo-Portuguese allied troops entered San Sebastián and the subsequent fire and destruction of the city during a tragic episode of the Napoleonic Wars. For this reason, the citizens of Donostia will pay tribute on this date to all those who suffered this tragedy in 1813 and who, with a civic, brave, and determined spirit, managed to move forward and rebuild the city.
The main events will take place throughout Monday, August 31st. In the morning, a mass will be held (11:30 AM, San Vicente Church) in memory of those who lost their lives during the capture and destruction of the city. The day's events will continue until the evening, culminating with the reenactment of the tragic burning (9:00 PM, Zuloaga Square) and a subsequent simulation of the city's fire at the Paseo de los Curas and Batería del Mirador (9:30 PM). Additionally, church bells will ring in various churches, and lights will be turned off and candles lit in 31 de Agosto street, undoubtedly the most significant acts of the day.
Before the commemorative parade, a tribute will be paid to the NGO Save The Children in recognition of its humanitarian work.
In the days leading up to the events on the 31st, various cultural activities related to this historical event will be held. From August 24th to 29th, an exhibition will be open to the public in the conference room of San Jerónimo. It will feature explanatory panels on the city's configuration before the 1813 burning, original letters and documents from the era, videos of the city before and after the fire, unpublished ancient maps, and musical scores related to the 1813 war. Similarly, conferences will be organized in the same room to offer different perspectives on Donostia at the end of the 18th and beginning of the 19th centuries.
