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July 19 Yecla celebrates the 100th birthday of its most famous living painter

Juan Ricolópez was born in Yecla in 1925

July 19 Yecla celebrates the 100th birthday of its most famous living painter A special celebration is being held in Yecla on Saturday 19^th July to mark the 100^th birthday of Juan Ricolópez, who was born in the town and whose name has been given to the museum in the Casa de Cultura.

July 19 Yecla celebrates the 100th birthday of its most famous living painter The event begins at 12.00 midday in the Salón de Actos “Pablo Corbalan”, also inside the Casa Municipal de Cultura (Calle España, 37, click for map), which is home to around a hundred of his paintings from different stages in his artistic career – all of these works have been donated to the town in recognition of the influence Yecla and the Altiplano area of the Region of Murcia have had on his work over the decades.

It is said that Ricolópez is one of Yecla’s most universal painters and the event celebrates the “light, colour and Yeclanía” of his production, which includes scenes involving landscapes, fishermen, agricultural labour, motherhood, childhood, wine production and many others. It is now over 60 years since he first began to exhibit his work all over Spain, since when he has also been involved in exhibitions in the UK, France, the Dominican Republic and the USA. He lived in Miami for a long time and won widespread recognition during his years in Florida.

A retrospective exhibition of his career was held in Yecla in 2000 and in 2002 he designed the poster for the annual Fiestas de la Virgen in December, before the museum paying homage to his career was opened in 2014.

Those intending to be present at the event on 19^th July should make sure to book their places by telephone on 968 750942.

Further information is available from the tourist office of Yecla (email turismo@yecla.es) or, for more visiting information in English, go to the home page of Yecla Today.

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Plaza Mayor, Casa de los Arcos, s/n 30510 YECLA

Tel: 968 754 104

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Oficina de Turismo de Yecla

In early 2025, due to renovation work at the usual office, the service is located on the other side of the Plaza Mayor at Calle Epifanio Ibáñez nº 2 (click for map).

Yecla Tourist Office Yecla is a large municipality in the north of the Region of Murcia, home to just under 35,000 people, and these days is best known for its wines, which enjoy Denomination of Origin status, and its furniture production, which has its origins in the abundance of pine trees on the mountainsides and the high plateaux.

Yecla Tourist Office While visitors in the 21st century may be attracted primarily by wine tourism, the town (or city, as it was proclaimed in 1878) also has a wide historical, cultural and natural heritage, and an identity quite different from the coastal areas of the Region of Murcia. For this reason it is often grouped together with its neighbour and fellow wine-producing area Jumilla as part of the Altiplano area.

Yecla borders with Castilla-La Mancha and the Region of Valencia and is closer to Alicante coastal areas than much of Murcia. These visitors come to see the historic old town itself - an atmospheric and interesting place, crammed full of history - the natural beauty of Monte Arabí, with stunning views for those who enjoy the outdoors, the gastonomy and of course the wine route.

Yecla Tourist Office Yecla boasts cave paintings from 10,000 years ago in Monte Arabí, a Bronze Age settlement at El Arabilejo, Iberian remains in El Pulpillo and a Roman administrative centre at Los Torrejones as well as the remnants of the 11th century Moorish castle on the hill behind the town. More modern (and complete) testimony to the past are the buildings in the town centre, which include the grandiose Basílica de la Purísima, with its striking blue dome, the archaeological museum and the attractive Plaza Mayor, where the 16th century Town Hall stands alongside the Renaissance Casa de los Alarcos, the clock tower and the old grain store.

Yecla Tourist Office The tourist office holds a full selection of leaflets, maps, pre-planned routes, accommodation and restaurant options and information about visiting Yecla for both individuals and groups.