If you look at any Spanish city in the Google Maps satellite view, you will probably notice a yellow ring located in city centre or on its outskirts. It is plaza de toros, which means bullfighting arena (or bullring). Even though these facilities mostly perform completely different roles now, they are an enduring symbol of one of the most controversial sides of this country.
What are bullfights about, what is their importance for the culture of Spain and how does modern society feel about it? It is a complex, multifaceted topic that is difficult to describe from a foreigner’s point of view – let’s try to give you at least some insight into it.
What is corrida?
Corrida de toros is a sporting and artistic spectacle involving bullfighting in a dedicated arena. The origin of this tradition is not clear – it is likely that similar spectacles were already popular in Mesopotamia, as well as in ancient Greece and Rome. The Spanish style of bullfighting has evolved over the centuries to take its present form. Each element of the fight is crucial: from the specially bred bulls, to the stringently established course of the show, the roles of the various performers, their costumes and the musical setting, to the matador’s final ‘dance’ with the animal and the traditions surrounding the performance.
What does a bullfight look like
To make the fight more ergonomic, the arena is circular (hence the name ‘bullring’) – this design makes it impossible to trap any of the participants in a corner. Bullfight tickets are priced according to the distance from the centre of the arena and the seat exposure. The seats in the shaded west side of the arena (sombra) are mostly much more expensive than the less attractive seats in the sunny east side (sol) – for a country with such a warm climate as Spain, this is of considerable importance for the comfort of the spectators and the reception of the show.
A bullfight is divided into three stages: during the first stage, a pair of mounted picadores tease a bull, trying to drive a lance into its neck. Their job is to preliminarily weaken the animal and force it to hold its head in a low position to make the next performers’ task easier. What happens next is that banderilleros appear in the arena, and their role is to enrage the bull by stabbing its neck with coloured spears. During the third stage, a matador enters the ring armed with a muleta and a sword. There starts the most anticipated part of the show – the dance of the man with the bull which is a display of cunning and agility, ending with the animal being killed. Provided that the matador has demonstrated outstanding skill and gained the favour of the audience, he can be awarded with a trophy in the form of the bull’s ears or tail. However, if the bull fights with exceptional gallantry, he can be granted a pardon. In this case, after the fight he returns to his herd and lives to his days in the pasture.
Bullfighting – Spain and the rest of the world
For bullfighting fans, this show means much more than just killing an animal in a spectacular way. It is a demonstration of dexterity, style, technique and bravery, a duel between a man and an equal opponent, a sport deeply rooted in Spanish tradition and culture, and a form of art that can be discussed for hours. Matadors have always been treated as celebrities – they have their own nicknames, they are known in the bullfighting community and often outside of it as well. The most distinguished ones have been honoured with monuments, and names such as Juan Belmonte or Manolete are known to everyone irrespective of their opinions and interests. What may be interesting to know is that there are also women involved in this profession – among the most famous present-day toreras we can surely mention Cristina Sánchez, who is active in the industry even after retiring from the arena.
Spectacles featuring bulls are not just a Spanish thing. They are also held in many Latin American countries (Mexico City is where the world’s largest plaza de toros is located), Portugal and the south of France. In some regions, bloodless bullfights are held that do not end with the bull’s death. Nonetheless, it is quite common for their programme to be equally controversial if we look at it in the context of animal welfare.
Corrida nowadays
The popularity of the art of tauromachy is clearly fading, although it should not to be said that it is a dead tradition: events are still being organised, bullfighting schools are still running and the annual Sanfermines de Pamplona festival attracts thousands of tourists. In the last few years, the COVID-19 pandemic has played a part in the decrease in bullfighting’s popularity: during lockdowns, shows were obviously banned, and in some parts of the country the business has still not regained its shape (and funding) from before the pandemic.
The debates over a complete prohibition of bullfighting shows have been going on in Spain for many years. Right now, such a provision is in force only in the Canary Islands, but the situation on the mainland is quite dynamic in this aspect. In some regions of the country, the custom of organising bullfights simply does not exist, even though there are no regulations prohibiting such shows. Those from younger generations often consider corrida de toros a shameful legacy and are not really interested in this type of spectacles. In many cities, bullrings have been transformed into museums, art galleries, concert and event centres.
Opponents of bullfighting shows have consistently raised the issue of animal suffering, which cannot be justified by any tradition. The slow death of the bull, the intentional infliction of pain and the formidable stress caused by the show itself – for these arguments no explanation is needed. For obvious reasons, bullfighting also puts at risk the lives of the participating people, as well as the horses, which, despite their protective armour, are sometimes fatally injured by the horns of an enraged bull. Protests against bullfighting are dominated by the slogan Tortura: ni arte ni cultura (‘It’s cruelty, not art or culture’), and memorials of respected matadors often bear a stream of red paint or unwanted graffiti.
Nowadays, with increasing attention paid to animal welfare and reducing their suffering, bullfighting seems to be a relic of the past. Then, maybe it is time to redefine the pantheon of associations that Spain evokes in the world? After all, this diverse country has much more to offer than beautiful beaches, flamenco and deserted plazas de toros.
