Thousands of sheep take over Madrid's streets for Transhumance Festival

The flock of 1,250 sheep and 160 goats set off from Casa de Campo before crossing the Puente del Rey and making its way through the historic centre. Bells chimed and animals bleated as crowds of residents and tourists lined the streets to watch, take photographs and follow the procession. Several shepherds wore traditional dress, while others carried young lambs or offered treats to their animals. Folk musicians added to the festive atmosphere as the flocks filled streets and squares normally dominated by traffic. The event marks transhumance, the centuries-old practice of moving livestock between summer and winter pastures along vías pecuarias (drovers’ routes). At Plaza de la Villa, officials staged the traditional payment of 50 maravedís per thousand animals, a symbolic ceremony dating from 1418. This year’s route was altered to avoid Puerta del Sol, where housing campaigners have set up a protest camp following the eviction and subsequent death of an 87-year-old local resident. Beyond celebrating rural heritage, the festival highlights the environmental value of traditional grazing: by consuming vegetation, the animals help reduce flammable undergrowth and lower wildfire risks.