Every July 6th, thousands of people gather in the City Hall Square to witness the Chupinazo. What may seem like a chaotic crowd is actually a surprisingly orderly physical phenomenon. As crowd density increases, the gathering stops behaving like a collection of individuals and begins to act as a collective system, similar to a fluid.
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The City Hall Square covers an area of approximately 2,500 square meters, yet during the Chupinazo it can hold more than 12,000 people. In some areas, densities can reach up to 9 people per square meter. Once densities exceed about 4 people per square meter, so-called “human waves” begin to appear: collective movements that arise spontaneously as the forces exerted by each person propagate throughout the crowd.
Studies carried out in Pamplona have shown that these oscillations are not random. The crowd moves in rhythmic and coordinated patterns, with cycles lasting approximately 18 seconds. Rather than simply moving back and forth, people follow small circular paths that can displace each participant several meters from their original position. The walls and buildings surrounding the square also help maintain and propagate these oscillations.
Understanding how large crowds behave is essential for improving safety at mass events. Crowd physics makes it possible to identify risk areas, predict collective movements, and design safer public spaces. For a few minutes, the Chupinazo turns the City Hall Square into one of the most spectacular examples of collective human behavior.
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In summary: During the Chupinazo, many people gather in the City Hall Square.
People move together from side to side.
This movement is similar to waves in the sea.
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