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Spain may soon be home to one of the tallest sculptures in the world: a colossal 300-metre-high metal bull, promoted by the Spanish Academy of Bullfighting as a new national symbol and tourist magnet.

 

The ambitious project, dubbed The Bull of Spain, is designed to rival the international status of landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty.

 

The Academy’s plan envisions a towering figure of a fighting bull, constructed entirely with private investment.

 

Now they just need to find a town willing to host it – somewhere with strong visitor numbers and good transport links. According to the proposal, the monument would not only become a cultural icon but also a driver of local employment and commercial activity for the area where it may finally be located, with the host municipality sharing in the project’s profits.

 

Although Madrid was initially considered as the location, the city council ultimately rejected the idea, despite some early support from the regional Centre for Bullfighting Affairs.

 

The Academy is now in discussions with other municipalities across Spain to find a suitable home for what it describes as a “unique infrastructure in the world”.

 

In contrast to the existing Osborne bulls – large black silhouettes that began as sherry advertisements and now dot the Spanish landscape as unofficial national symbols – this new sculpture would be of a far greater scale.

 

At 300 metres tall, it would include panoramic viewpoints in the horns, giving visitors sweeping views of the surroundings. A tourist and cultural complex at the base would feature themed restaurants, shops, exhibitions and activities focused on bullfighting, which was legally recognised as cultural heritage in Spain under Law 18/2013.

 

“All tourists take a bull with them as a souvenir,” said Jorge Álvarez, president of the Spanish Academy of Bullfighting. “Why not give them one that they can never forget?”

 

The proposal comes as Spain sees a wave of grand-scale monument projects. Just outside Madrid, work has begun on what is expected to be the world’s largest statue of Christ. Located in Boadilla del Monte, the Sacred Heart Project will stand 37 metres tall with an arm span of 60 metres, surpassing Brazil’s iconic Christ the Redeemer statue by seven metres.

 

As for the giant bull, the project proposal raises inevitable questions. Will it become a proud symbol of Spain’s heritage, or will it strike many as a tacky eyesore that is an outdated celebration of bullfighting culture?

 

Image: Academia Española de Tauromaquia