From the 25 of July the Mariseca is placed in the City council, in the Main Square of Salamanca
The nickname of a bricklayer who died when climbing to place the banner and fell down, a ridiculous mannequin that once occupied the place or the desire that the days of bullfighting were dry are some of the stories about the origin of the name of ‘La Mariseca’. It is not known for sure. What is known is that it is placed since the fifteenth century and has passed through different locations. At present it consists of the silhouette of a bull and the Spanish flag and the Day of Santiago is placed in the bulrush of the City Hall of Salamanca, accompanied by the performance of the Municipal Band and the launching of rockets.
‘La Mariseca’ being placed in the City council.
La Mariseca announces the celebration of the bullfighting festivities of the ‘Virgen de la Vega’ Fair, which this year takes place from September 7 to 15. As in almost all places, the origin of these festivals goes back centuries, when cattle and vegetables were exchanged at the end of summer to later become an annual cattle fair.
The dates revolve around the feast of the Virgen de la Vega, patron saint of Salamanca since 1618. On September 8 her big day is celebrated. The people of Salamanca dress in their traditional costumes and march in procession from the Church of the Holy Trinity of Arrabal to the Cathedral of the city, where they make the floral offering to their Virgin. Fireworks, concerts, festivals, food stalls or a medieval market are some of the attractions of the Fair.
Bullfighting Fair of Salamanca
Posters of 2018 Fair.
But the main thing, how could it be otherwise in the ‘Campo Charro’, are the bullfighting festivities. The bullring of La Glorieta hosts the various events between September 8 and 21. They start with the traditional ‘desenjaule’ (taking the animals out of the truck in the middle of the arena) and the semifinal of the young bullfighters contest ‘Destino La Glorieta’, which has been held for the last weeks with great success. The International Trimmers Championship, a bullfight with horses, a steers-bullfight, and four bullfights make up this 2018 fair.
The Bullring of La Glorieta was inaugurated on September 11, 1893 with bulls from the Eloy Clairac ranch for the bullfighters Mazzantini and Torerito. Its architect was Cecilio González Domingo. It has capacity for 11,800 people and a ring that measures 54 meters.
The Charro Field concentrates great part of the breeding farms of the Spanish geography and, one more year, the Bullfighting Fair of Salamanca will be its maximum exponent and showcase.
Happy week, bullfighting lovers!
