Plaza de toros
Spain has a rich history of famous people and events that only adds to their tradition. Just by walking around Barcelona, it is easy for one to take in the historic architecture, museums, and customs. However, there are some traditions that are considered controversial. A question arises of whether customs should continue because they are so historic.
Rooted deeply into the history of Spain are a heritage of bull fights. Bulls are a symbol of perhaps the most important element in Spanish culture. A “toro bravo” or a fighting bull is an animal bred for the purpose of show. Bullfighting has deep historic roots in Spain and even Mexico.
Historians say that bullfighting in Spain began in 711 A.D when it was held for the coronation of King Alfonso VIII. However, it was only modernized in 1726. Modern bullfighting on foot began in 1726. Juan Belmonte is generally considered the greatest matador (bull fighter) of all time the one who created this modern style. Now, bulls are bred specifically to be angry, violent, and fast to put on the best shows possible.
Bullfighting season typically lasts from spring to fall. The biggest fights are usually held on Sundays according to Spanish tradition. Cities like Madrid, Sevilla and Pamplona are the most notorious in Spain and have the largest stadiums.
The Event
Spaniards generally flock within 30 minutes before the start of the fight. It is tradition to wear collared shirts and long pants. The stadiums are generally very crowded and there isn’t much room to move.
Las Ventas is the largest bullfighting ring in Spain located in Madrid. It is also one of the largest arenas in the world. It can hold almost 24,000 spectators. The only rings that are bigger are in Mexico and Venezuela. Paco said that “Las Ventas" is always very crowded, and it is rare there will be a fight that isn’t sold out.”
The fight begins with a greeting of the bullfighters after they walk out of the tunnel. There is usually a band playing trumpets throughout the event as well. After a minute of applause, the bull is released, and the fight begins. Each bull usually lasts. Through three stages.
Generally, the matador begins to test the bull by drawing it in and moving aside at the last second. Using his cape, he. Will taunt he bull to anger it. Next is the Picador stage where bullfighters on horseback repeatedly stab the bull. The horses are wearing protective armor and this stage is another point where they try to make the bull angry.
The final stage is the most important stage. The bull’s endurance will be tested as they are most likely gushing blood. The matador wears it out until the bull falls. The process typically takes between 20-25 minutes depending on the strength of the bull. This process is repeated five more times for a total of six bulls that will be killed.
Before killing the bull, the matadors truly show off by taunting the bull at the end. They will do this by performing an “adorno.” This is simply turning one’s back to the bull or even hanging their hat on the bull’s head.
Generally, the Spanish are more intrigued with the performance of the bull than the matador himself. At the end of the fight, people will clap to signify that it was a good bull. Otherwise, people will throw their seat covers into the stadium if it was a bad bull. This is very different to other sports as the human is the one that doesn’t gauge the most interest.
Paco, a spectator at the bull fight, said “sometimes bulls can be saved if it was a very good bull.”
Controversy
In recent years, bull fighting has brought up a lot of attention regarding animal cruelty. Some people see the sport as unnecessarily ferocious and cruel.
Animal rights activists have brought attention to bull fighting and have seen some progress in diminishing the sport. Generally, 5-6 bulls are killed each fight. Many people don’t see the purpose in harming animals for entertainment.
Barcelona became the first place in Spain to ban bull fights in 2011. The Catalonian region hoped other places would follow suit. It didn’t go according to plan, and it is still alive in places like Madrid. With the ban from the autonomous community of Catalonia, many people began to cast them out from the rest of Spain. Catalans see themselves as separate from Spain, and therefore wish to become their own country.
Bullfighting is only one issue that Spain and the Catalans don’t see eye to eye on and is a very controversial political subject.
People argue that the entire process isn’t very humane at all. Because the bulls are stabbed multiple times, it is viewed as cruel to the animals. One counterargument is that those for
bullfighting argue how it compares to the practices involved in the meat industry.
However, the historic patrimony of bull fighting is deeply rooted into Spanish culture. Bull fighting goes back multiple centuries, and it can be hard for something like that to be banned.
Tickets
Tickets are somewhat different than traditional sporting events in the United States. Tickets are divided into three different. Categories. One is called sombra for shade that means the tickets are in the shade. These are the most expensive tickets. The next category is sol y sombra which. Means they begin in the sun but move into shade as the sun goes down depending on what time the fight is. The final tier is sol which means they are in the sun. These tickets are the cheapest.
A security guard at the bull fight said, “tickets are usually pretty easy to acquire online until right before the fight.”
A bull fight can be somewhat of a culture shock to most people from the United States. Seeing animals brutally killed can be quite challenging on the eye. However, bull fights are a fantastic way to truly be immersed in Spanish culture.
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