Today we are going to know a somewhat special calendar that has a beauty and charm since it does not focus on science but has predictions for a whole year without any scientific rigor. Its about Zaragozano calendar. It is a Spanish annual publication that includes a prediction of both meteorology and astronomy for a whole calendar year and without any type of scientific rigor.
In this article, we'll tell you the entire history and characteristics of the Zaragoza calendar.
Origin of the Zaragozano calendar
The first edition of the Zaragoza calendar was made for the first time in 1840. It was prepared by the Spanish astrologer Mariano Castillo y Ocsiero. It has been produced and published uninterruptedly, except for a few years during the Spanish Civil War. Almost every edition features the same portrait of the astrologer, a reference to its creator. The astrologer is a very elegant man. His hair is completely combed and he has a solemn expression.
Currently, they are no longer printed in physical form, but can be purchased online. However, they still retain the same design, both on the cover and in the contents. The name "Zaragozano Calendar" refers to its author's origins in Zaragoza. It was created in honor of the Spanish astronomer Victoriano Zaragozano and Gracia Zapater. This astronomer was born in Puebla de Albortón in the 16th century and was quite popular in his time. He knew a great deal about astronomy and created almanacs in competition with another Spanish scientist who stood out for his studies in astrology, mathematics, and natural history. The competition was Jerónimo Cortés.
History of the Zaragozano calendar
The history of the Zaragozano calendar begins after its first edition. Its diffusion reached all corners of Spain in the two formats that were dedicated at that time. This calendar consisted of a sheet folded in half that was one of the best sellers and the other model was a pocket publication the size of a folded leaflet.
Nowadays, we're accustomed to having a wealth of information about weather forecasts, not only for our country but also around the world. You can learn about the weather forecast thanks to various complex models that study it, supported by graphics, satellite images, mathematical formulas, and much more. Thanks to this technology, the weather can be predicted for several days with relative accuracy. However,, the need to know the weather is not something new. This need has been in existence since ancient times. This is one of the reasons why it has always been tried to know what is going to happen in advance.
Previously, meteorology could be learned through direct observation of the signs that could be observed in the area itself, and meteorological variables such as clouds, wind, and the temperature at that time were studied. It was also necessary to take into account the experience of certain older people or the predictions made by calendars such as the Zaragoza calendar. As is the case today, those dedicated to agriculture were the ones who made a special effort to record and know what the following year would be like in order to choose the sowing and harvesting seasons to optimize yield. Today, many people they take up these observations although they do it in a more curious way than with a scientific objective.
This calendar has been and is used since its inception as a bedside book for farmers since crops could be subject to multiple adverse weather conditions. Droughts, storms and phases of the moon affect crops and thanks to the Zaragozano calendar it was possible to have more knowledge about it.
Key features
The first price that this calendar had in 1840 must have been in reais since it was the currency that was available at that time. It was not until 28 years later that the peseta was introduced in Spain as legal tender. The price was originally only about 15 cents in 1920 (which would be equivalent in euros today). As the years go by, its price has risen to almost 20 duros or 100 pesetas or 0,60 cents. Currently the price is 1.8 euros. As you can see, the trend of increasing prices for the same product has been advancing for years and years.
In 1900, the Zaragozano calendar was sold out loud in the main squares of cities and towns. Most of the clientele was peasant and approximately 1.270.000 copies were sold. Today only 300.000 copies are sold. As is to be expected, with the advancement of science, this type of calendars has a more nostalgic and conservative impact as a tendency to curiosity rather than scientific rigor.
If we analyze well some of the pages throughout history, this calendar can show us many elements of each era. For example, on the cover of the year 1883 a warning could be measured so as not to be fooled by other calendars that were imitations. Another example is the cover and the inside of the Zaragozano calendar from 1936. In this issue there were hidden advertising treasures that pointed out and portrayed various problems that society had at that time. Let's not forget that at that time close to the Spanish Civil War phrases such as Viva Franco! and ¡Arriba Spain!
In the midst of the war, it was inadvisable to distance oneself from the victorious regime, and such statements were written on the covers of these proclamations, which at the time were politically correct and were intentionally intended to increase sales. Over the years, the advertisements in the Zaragoza calendar have been reduced until they no longer exist. This calendar has been given greater importance and publicity by including its retail price. The current cover, as you can see, is the same as years past and will continue to be so, a symbol of its charm.
I hope that with this information you can learn more about the Zaragozano calendar and its characteristics.