Yecla Central Market

Right in the heart of Yecla’s historic district, between the Plaza Mayor and the Old Church, lies Concejal Sebastián Pérez Street, where the city’s central market is held every Wednesday. It is one of the busiest streets in the town, flanked by iconic buildings such as the Municipal Auditorium, the Clock Tower, and the Casa de Alarcos, and it intersects with other historic streets like Corredera and Epifanio Ibáñez in the heart of Yecla’s historic district. However, behind this name—so familiar to residents and shopkeepers—lies a story that dates back to the early 20th century.

Sebastián Pérez was a young city councilman from Yecla who was highly regarded by his neighbors and played a prominent role in the local public life of his time. His legacy was marked by a tragic event that occurred in August 1917, during a period of intense social tension felt across various parts of Spain, which also coincided with a particularly turbulent international context, in the midst of World War I.

During those turbulent days, Yecla experienced riots that led to an intervention by the Civil Guard. Sebastián Pérez was shot on August 13, 1917, and died the following day, August 14, from his injuries.

Following his death, the city was under military occupation for a time, and local community activities were restricted, forcing them to reorganize more discreetly until, seven months later, in February 1918, normalcy was restored at the neighborhood meeting places. The incident also led to legal proceedings against several individuals implicated in the events, although the sentences imposed were ultimately commuted in 1918. Some local publications on the history of Yecla have delved into these events, listing the names of all those who lost their lives in the events of 1917.

Recognition of Sebastián Pérez would not come until decades later. It was on December 4, 1979, that the then-municipal government of Yecla decided to name the street that had until then been known simply as “Calle del Mercado” after him.

Thus, the name of the street where Yecla’s weekly farmers’ market is held today is not merely an administrative designation, but a permanent tribute to a young local councilman who lost his life in one of the most harrowing —and least known outside the Region of Murcia— in the city’s history at the beginning of the 20th century. Today, more than a century later, thousands of residents and visitors walk down this street every week to shop at the market stalls, likely unaware of the history behind the name under their feet.