bicentenario

Bicentenario is the Spanish term for a two-hundredth anniversary. It is used to designate commemorations of events that occurred 200 years earlier, and to name cultural, educational, and governmental initiatives associated with those milestones. The word is formed from bi-, meaning two, and centenario, meaning centennial.

The concept is especially common in Spanish-speaking contexts, where nations and communities mark the 200-year anniversaries of significant moments such as independence movements, the founding of cities, or the establishment of institutions. While many Latin American countries celebrated bicentenaries around the early 2010s for events in the early 1800s, the term can apply to any anniversary beyond 200 years, including more recent or older milestones.

In addition to celebrations, bicentenario is frequently used in institutional names and programs, such as museums, cultural festivals, and government initiatives created to commemorate the milestone. Examples include public exhibitions, educational activities, and national or local commemorations organized under a “Bicentenario” banner.

Because bicentenario refers to a time-based milestone, the specific year of celebration depends on the date of the original event being commemorated. The term is complementary to related Spanish anniversary terms such as centenario (100th) and tricentenario (300th). It serves as a cultural and historical labeling device as communities reflect on two centuries of history.