Spanish shepherds guide 2,000 sheep across Madrid

Shepherds guided a flock of 2,000 sheep through Madrid’s streets on Sunday in defense of ancient grazing, droving and migration rights increasingly threatened by urban sprawl and modern agricultural practices. Shepherds halted at the old town hall so the chief herdsman could hand authorities 25 maravedies – copper coins first minted in the 11th century – as payment for the crossing. Tourists and city-dwellers were surprised to see the capital’s traffic cut to permit the bleating, bell-clanking parade to pass the city’s most emblematic locations. Since medieval times, shepherds have had the right to use droving paths crisscrossing a landscape that was once a checkerboard of woodland and grazing space. Some herding routes have been used annually for over 800 years and Madrid sprawls across one dating back to 1372.

Odd News shepherds Madrid