The truth about this giant bull that wants to dethrone the Eiffel Tower

Spain, the world's second-most popular tourist destination after France, is now aiming to overtake its neighbor. While the country already boasts a rich heritage, it lacks a powerful symbol capable of embodying its national identity. Unlike France's Eiffel Tower, the United States' Statue of Liberty, or the United Kingdom's Big Ben, Spain currently lacks an iconic monument immediately associated with the country.

To fill this void, the Spanish Bullfighting Academy, founded in 2023 to promote bullfighting, has just unveiled a spectacular project: a huge metal bull, 300 meters high, whose horns would be transformed into panoramic viewpoints. The animal's four legs would house shops, as well as a theme park entirely dedicated to Spanish culture.

While Madrid has so far refused to host the project, the developers are now hoping to attract other cities. Several municipalities in Castile and León, north of the capital, and Castile-La Mancha, to the south, are being considered. For now, no technical, financial, or environmental studies have been conducted.

The choice of height, 300 meters, is not random. The idea is to compete directly with the Eiffel Tower (312 meters) and to partially bridge the gap in tourist numbers with France.

But one doubt remains: can erecting a monument to the glory of bullfighting truly attract tourists? Even in Spain, the practice is highly divisive. According to the latest polls, 77% of Spaniards say they oppose bullfighting. Many animal rights groups regularly denounce its cruelty, and its international image remains marred by controversy.

The idea of a giant bull is not unanimous. In remarks collected by "Le Figaro," art critic Fernando Castro Florez does not mince his words: "The bull is no longer a unifying symbol. If you want a tourist icon, you might as well build a giant paella pan or a monumental sangria carafe."

Still, history offers famous examples of projects that were reviled before becoming cult classics. In its time, the Eiffel Tower also sparked a storm of protest. In February 1887, a column signed by Guy de Maupassant, Alexandre Dumas fils, and the architect Charles Garnier denounced in "Le Temps" the "useless and monstrous Eiffel Tower." However, it was inaugurated two years later and today welcomes more than 6 million visitors a year.