A spectacular Day of the Dead altar became a record breaker when it was unveiled in Mexico.
The traditional display, created by the Government of Estado de Veracruz Ignacio de la Llave in Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico, celebrated the Day of the Dead with the creation of the largest Day of the Dead altar, highlighting the importance of Mexican traditions.
The Day of the Dead was recognized by UNESCO in 2008, declaring the tradition part of Mexico's Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
The holiday has global recognition for its unique blend of cultural, religious, and artistic elements. It serves as a powerful symbol of Mexican heritage.
It stands out as one of the most important festivities in the country. Taking place on 1 and 2 November, it honors the passage from life to death and brings to life a number of stories related to the visit of relatives and ancestors, who are expected to be welcomed with great enthusiasm.
Colourful, vibrant, and customized altars are set up in homes to welcome the souls of the dead.
The enormous structure of this special altar measured 1,567.64 m2 (16,873.94 ft2) and included 1,250 candles, 795 breads, 200 sugar skulls, Cempasúchil flowers, tamales, ripped paper, among other meaningful items. It was unveiled on 31 October, and to put the size into context, it’s bigger than five tennis courts put together.
It took over 700 people, who worked for 24 hours without interruption, to produce the final product, and the results are stunning.
The greatness of this altar already lies in the deep respect and love for the tradition. It is a pleasure for me to award this record title for the largest Day of the Dead altar to Gobierno del Estado de Veracruz Ignacio de la Llave. - Susana Reyes, Guinness World Records Adjudicator.
This new record beats the previous title holder with an altar that measured 1,212.40 m2 (13,050.19 ft2) and was achieved by Festival Internacional Santa Lucía (Mexico) in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico, on 28 October.
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