Origins
of the Fiesta
The
current San Fermines can be traced back to the Middle Ages. Three
different events converged at approximately the same time to
form the present day fiesta. 1) San Fermin religious
celebrations honoring San Fermin were held on October 10th
2) Trade fairs, the Feria del Toro, and bullfights which took
place in July since the 14th century . 3) the Fiesta of San Juan
on June 24th which lasted 20 days. These events led the Town Hall
to ask the bishop to change the date of the San Fermin celebration
to July 7th. This was done in the year 1590.
The
Running of the Bulls
Or
the "Encierro" as it is known in Spain, was born out of
a necessity to transfer the bulls from outside the town to the
bullring. Before the bullring was built, the Plaza del Castillo
was used for the bullfights. Although the "encierro" has
changed over the centuries, the spirit remains the same.
At
7:55am, the runners some 70 meters beyond the bulls corrals, sing
to a statue of San Fermin in a niche, asking him to protect
them. The Running of the Bulls begins when the San Saturnino
church clock strikes 8am . Then 2 rockets are shot off announcing
the exit of the bulls from their corrals. The first rocket
announces that the gate to the corral is opened. The second
rocket announces that the bulls preceded by eight oxen are now in
the streets running towards the runners. The "encierro"
usually lasts about 2 minutes. The entire route of the bullrun is
about 790 meters long.
The
Route
1. Santo Domingo street
300
yards long. Between the corrals and the Plaza Consistorial. Steep
uphill slope. The bulls tend to cluster. It's one of the most
dangerous stretches, especially the last few meters by the square.
The best runs can be seen here
2. Plaza del Ayuntamiento -
Mercaderes
120
yards. One of the least dangerous stretches. Although the
two turns here make it more complicated,the runners are relieved
to find themselves in a wide area to run. There are many
points of refuge here.
3. Calle Estafeta
The
turn into Estafeta street is a 90 degree turn to the right. The
bulls slip and bump into the left hand wall of the street.
Runners are advised to take the right turn on the right side of
the street to avoid being pinned between the bulls and the fence
or the wall.
4. Estafeta - Baja de Javier
A
slight 2% slope. The street is long and narrow. It is one of
the most crowded stretches. Runners can only escape into the doorways
of the buildings.
5. Bajada de Javier -
Telefonica building
The
herd tends to slow down here. The group of bulls may split up, and
some bulls may fall behind. This makes the stretch very dangerous.
6. Telefonica buiding
Less
than 110 yards ending in a funnelshape, surrounded by a double
wooden fence. The animals are now tired and run at a slower pace.
The bulls tend to break up. An extremely dangerous place
both expert runners and unskilled runners.
7 Callejon (blind alley)
Funnelshaped downhill slope
leading to the bullring. Many runners falling here have made human
heaps, with fatal consequences.
8. Plaza de Toros
The
bulls run into the center of the ring. Here the bulls are led to
the corrals.
Tips
for Running
Access:
If you want to participate in the running, you should enter the
track before 7:30am through the gates in the Plaza Consistorial
and stay there until the municipal barriers in the stretch between
the Square and the Old Military hospital. After 7:30 the accesses
are closed and you are not allowed to leave the track.
Most
dangerous stretches: Callejon-Plaza de Toros. (eight
deaths) and the end of the Cuesta de Santo Domingo (three deaths).
Garments:
Use comfortable clothes and sneakers or sport shoes. Do not carry any other
items (backpacks, cameras, etc.)with you.
Ask
experts runners for advice: The running is neither a
joke nor an opportunity for media coverage. The risks are
enormous, and the mass attendance of runners makes it even more
dangerous. It takes many years of practice to become a good
runner.
Getting
in and out of the flow: Getting into the flow of runners
is as important as getting out of the way. Get in gradually, as
the other runners get out. Or get straight in, from a standing
start.
Beware
of falling: Bulls are not the only danger. Mainly, it's the
number of runners. The chances of stumbling and falling are
very high. In fact, most of the people who are injured during the
run have fallen and been trampled over by other runners. You have
to look in front of you, behind you and on the ground. Once you
are in the herd, it's safest to remain close to the bulls because
there will be no runners in front of you. If you fall, just curl
up and do not move until someone taps you on the shoulder. If
you're near a bull and you fall, do not try to get up. If you curl
up in a ball, the bull will evade you and continue running.
Getting up will cause the bull to attack you. This is the most
common mistake made by runners
The
Running Rules:
An
edict issued by the mayors office details the following rules
concerning the running of the bulls:
-
Those
who are less than 18 years old are forbidden to run.
-
Crowding
the fence is not allowed.
-
All
doors along the runway must be closed.
-
No
one can remain in the runway who is drunk or drugged or who in
any other way represents a danger to the rest.
-
One
cannot carry things into the runway.
-
Runners
must be dressed correctly.
-
It
is forbidden to call to the bulls or in any way attract their
attention either in the runway or in the ring.
-
Taking
photos from inside the runway or from the fences during the
encierro is not allowed without permission from the
authorities.
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