About 1,250 sheep and 160 goats were herded through the centre of Madrid on Sunday for the city's annual transhumance festival, Africanews reports.
The flock set out from the Casa de Campo park, crossed the Puente del Rey and wound through the historic centre as residents and tourists lined the streets. Some shepherds wore traditional dress and folk musicians played along the route.
The festival celebrates the old practice of moving livestock between summer and winter grazing along ancient drovers' roads. At Plaza de la Villa, officials re-enacted a symbolic toll of 50 maravedís per thousand animals, a custom dating back to 1418. This year's route avoided the Puerta del Sol, where housing campaigners have set up a protest camp. Organisers also stress that grazing helps clear undergrowth and reduce the risk of wildfires.
Source: Africanews
Photo: Madrid – Biblioteca Nacional 01 by Selbymay, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Illustrative image of Madrid.
