Five Fascinating Facts about Bullfighting
Bullfighting is a subject which divides people like no other; you either love it or hate it; you're an aficionado, with your preferred matadores, who can discuss technique and arte; or you can't take the blood. It's about drama and colour of the spectacle; the passion of the audience; and the courage and skill of the man (nearly always; Almodovar's female matador was the exception) himself - standing in front of a 500 Kg beast is not for the faint-hearted.
Whether they like it or not, bullfighters enjoy celebrity status here in Spain. They're even richer and more famous than footballers - because facing off a huge, angry beast is so much more macho… More →
Two of Spain's most prestigious bullrings are in Andalucia. Seville has the 18th-century Maestranza, known as the Catedral del Toreo (… More →
As of July last year, bullfighting in Catalonia is banned, joining the Canary Islands in bidding goodbye to La Fiesta. There are strong anti-bloodsports movements in other parts of Spain - even… More →
The origins of bullfighting are probably in the man v beast contests of the Roman gladiators. Even earlier, Palaeolithic paintings found in Spain depict men fighting bulls and other wild animals.… More →
It's an irresistible topic for writers - in the early 20th century, those who waxed (lyrical, or not) about La Lidia included Ernest Hemingway and DH… More →
