The popular press of yesteryear

Wandering around Spain, there's no hiding the fact that bullfighting has played a significant roll in popular culture. There's a question about how it became so embedded and to what extend the convulsions of the 19th Century played in its rise. How I see bullfighting, or at least the people who support bullfighting has changed since attending the Levee des Tridents. One thing is clear to me, look down on the supporters and there's a risk of entrenching their views - preventing them from feeling free to change their mind.

One of bullfighting's spinoffs has been the Prensa Taurina - the press that covers the live action, relaying it to fans to read about at home or at work. Here in Castellon de la Plana, a moment has been captured in bronze.

While bullfighting, and the journalism recording it, still exists, this era has gone. The numbers attending bullfights is diminishing. People prefer to watch and read about football, basketball or handball.

The sculpture is of local journalist, José María Iglesias, better known as Arenillas spent 50 years recounting bullfights up untill his death in 2001. 

Time to carry on looking around the town before heading back to the station.

The sculpture is No. 3 on the map which takes you through the Parc Ribalta (1), past an altogether more typical bullfighting sculpture (2) and then on to the Cathedral square with medieval El Fadrí tower (4) before heading to the Placa de Maria Augustina (6) with its unusual tree.

Getting there

Castellon de la Plana is about 1 hour from Valencia and 2-3 hours from barcelon depending on the train you catch. Buses also make a good alternative, running from outside the train station.