Ceuta Day in Spain Date in the current year: September 2, 2024

Ceuta Day commemorates the capture of Ceuta by the Portuguese in 1415. Founded by the Phoenicians in the 1st millennium BC, Ceuta was conquered by various forces throughout its ancient and early medieval history, including Carthage, Numidia, Mauretania, the Roman Empire, vandals, the Byzantine Empire, and a number of medieval Islamic states.

In 1387, Ceuta was conquered by the kingdom of Fez, but it wasn’t for long. Less then three decades later, King John I of Portugal led his sons’ joint forces in a surprise attack on Ceuta. The defenders of the city were caught off guard by 45,000 Portuguese soldiers, and Ceuta fell on August 21, 1415 (according to other sources, on August 14).

John I appointed Pedro de Menezes the first governor of Ceuta and left the city on September 2. The anniversary of this event is now celebrated as Ceuta Day. Although King Alfonso VI of Portugal ceded Ceuta to Spain in 1668, the city residents still celebrate the anniversary of the conquest of Ceuta by the Portuguese, because otherwise the city probably wouldn’t have become Spanish.

Ceuta Day is an official regional holiday in Spain, which means that it is a public holiday and a non-working day in Ceuta, but it isn’t celebrated in the rest of the country. On this day, many people display the flag of Ceuta on their homes and spend the day partying or picnicking with their families and friends. However, there are people who, instead of celebrating, hold rallies to support Ceuta leaving Spain and joining Morocco.

Ceuta Day isn’t the only regional holiday celebrated in Ceuta. On August 5, its residents observe Our Lady of Africa Day, a public holiday honoring the patron saint of the city.