Melilla Day commemorates the 1497 conquest of Melilla by Pedro de Estopiñán and is now the official holiday of the autonomous city, combining civic honors, cultural festivities, and religious devotion to Our Lady of Victory, its patroness.

When is Melilla Day?

Melilla Day is celebrated every year on September 17.

The following is the list of Melilla Day from 2020 to 2049.

The History of Melilla Day?

On September 17, 1497, Spanish troops led by Pedro de Estopiñán y Virués, acting under the orders of the Duke of Medina Sidonia, captured Melilla. At the time, Melilla was a declining port city on the North African coast, under the rule of the Kingdom of Fez.

The conquest was part of Spain's post-Reconquista expansion after the fall of Granada (1492), aiming to secure strongholds in North Africa against Ottoman and pirate threats. With the taking of Melilla, Spain established one of its oldest overseas possessions, which it has maintained ever since.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, Melilla became a fortress city, defending Spain's Mediterranean trade routes.

It was frequently attacked by Ottoman allies and Moroccan forces but never fell. Over time, Spain expanded Melilla's fortifications, turning it into a heavily defended enclave.

Unlike colonies that were later decolonized, Melilla (along with Ceuta) was considered an integral part of Spain, due to its continuous Spanish presence since 1497.

In 1995, Spain granted Melilla the status of an Autonomous City, similar to an autonomous community, with its own Assembly and Statute of Autonomy.

The statute officially declared September 17 as Melilla Day, commemorating the conquest and Spain's historical presence.