The Hymn of Alcalá de Henares

One of the things you totally need to know is the hymn of Alcala de Henares, the song that makes us proud of being from Alcala.

Did you know that Alcalá has a hymn? Let me tell you a little about its history. It seems that the constructor D. José Navarro, who was born in Aragon, loved Alcalá as much as we do. He petitioned Fernando Sáez de Santamaría to write a song about Alcalá and D. José Cebrián to compose the music.

It was played for the first time on July 29th, 1960, during a bullfight held during the afternoon. About 30 years later, it was published by the University of Alcalá. They made a disk that included a parade called Alcalá de Henares and performed by the Tuna de Alcalá (A tuna is a group of student musicians. In this post we have more information about the Tuna.)

The Hymn of Alcala lyrics

Here are the song’s lyrics and their translation into English:

Sobre la huella de antiguos estudiantes
que en otro tiempo rondaron la ciudad
hoy se pasean las chicas elegantes
igual de guapas que antes, que alegran Alcalá
(On the footsteps of former students
Who once roamed the city
Today elegant girls walk
Just as pretty as before, enlivening Alcalá)

En los conventos la voz de la campana
recuerda siglos de rezo y vocación
y cuando duermes, el eco de rondallas
despierta melodías que oíste con amor
(In the convents the voice of the bell
Recalls centuries of prayer and vocation
And when you sleep, the echo of serenaders
wakes melodies you heard with love)

Alcalá de Henares

De la lengua y la cultura tu eres gloria
Que ilumina con su llama la memoria
Lo mejor de la española tradición
(Of language and culture you are renown
That illuminates memory with his name
The best of Spanish tradition)

Alcalá de Henares

Al cobijo de tu sombra quiero estar
Y cerquita, muy cerquita de la Virgen
Que se venera en la ermita del Val
(In the shelter of your shadow I want to be
And closeby, very close to the Virgin
Venerated in the chapel of Val)

Hoy ya no hay tunas que vendan ilusiones
Ni las murallas defienden tu solar
Pero en las rejas que cercan tus balcones
Alegres corazones se vuelven a asomar
(Today there are no tunas selling hopes
Neither do the ramparts defend your land
But in bars that surround your balconies
Joyful hearts begin again to appear)

Entre la hiedra que oculta tu añoranza
Y por las grietas que hieren su dolor
Sonríen mudas las piedras milenarias
Pues saben que otras nuevas reviven tu calor
(Among the ivy hides your longing
And in the cracks that wound your greif
Silently simile the ancient stones
They know that new ones revive your passion)

Alcalá de Henares

De la lengua y la cultura tu eres gloria
Que ilumina con su llama la memoria
Lo mejor de la español tradición
(Of language and culture you are renown
That illuminates memory with his name
The best of Spanish tradition)

Alcalá de Henares