Madrid’s roads replace cars with sheep as part of revived tradition

EventsNews

Under Mayor of Madrid José Luis Martínez-Almeida, the city continues to revive the tradition of shepherding through the city, replacing cars on its streets with sheep on 23 October. Shepherds led thousands of sheep through Madrid, with tourists and locals lining the traditional routes along which shepherds used to herd their sheep. The Spanish parliament revived the event in 1994.

As part of the festival, organisers pay for the right to use the route, in line with the agreement between shepherds and the city from 1418. They made the payment in the Spanish medieval currency at the Madrid City Hall. The route that now passes through some of the busiest parts of Madrid, including the main square, was passing through quiet countryside several hundred years ago as shepherds took their sheep south for winter grazing.

The practice of seasonal livestock migration has largely died out in Spain due to modern farming methods – now only a handful of famers maintain the tradition with the help of associations like Concejo de la Mesta which organised the annual festival.

These associations promote the practice for cultural value as well as sustainability and environmental protection, pointing out that areas grazed by sheep are not as prone to wildfires. According to the associations, only 52 family farms still practice seasonal livestock migration. Several cities in France, Italy and the US hold similar events.

(Photo credit: Lennon Caranzo / Unsplash)