Overview

• The Spanish Bullfighting Academy’s plan envisions a 300-metre steel bull named “El Toro de España” with viewing platforms in its horns and a cultural-tourist center at its base.
• Organizers say the monument will be funded exclusively by private investors and that host communities would earn a share of ticket and merchandise revenues.
• Following Madrid’s city council rejection, the Academy is negotiating with municipalities such as Burgos, Ciudad Rodrigo and several smaller towns in Castile and León.
• Animal welfare organizations including ProAnBur have condemned the project as a tone-deaf celebration of bullfighting and a provocation against modern ethical standards.
• Bullfighting was recognized as an intangible cultural heritage in 2013, but declining attendance and regional bans highlight shifting public attitudes toward the practice.