Belgrade Bullfight

On October 2 and 3, 1971, Belgrade's Tašmajdan Stadium hosted a Spanish-style bullfight organized by the Belgrade company Zadrugar. Contemporary and later accounts describe it as the first classic Spanish bullfight held outside the Iberian Peninsula, drawing roughly 4,500 spectators.

The event had already attracted attention before it began. Animal-protection groups publicly criticized the plan, while organizers built an improvised arena and dealt with delays caused by bad weather. Promotional material circulated throughout Belgrade, and airplanes dropped flyers over the city.

The star of the event was Luis Miguel Dominguín, a famous Spanish matador who had already become part of international cultural life through his friendship with Ernest Hemingway and his association with other well-known artists. He performed alongside matador Roberto Piles and rejoneador Alfredo Conde.

During the fighting, Dominguín was injured in the hand but returned after receiving medical attention. In the most dramatic sequence of his second fight, he lost his balance and the bull caught him with its horns, but he survived and completed the fight. He ultimately killed two bulls and was awarded their ears, an honor described in accounts of the event.

What made the Belgrade experience memorable was the reaction of the audience. Many spectators did not respond as Spanish bullfight organizers expected. They were disturbed by the picadors' use of lances and, at moments, cheered when a matador fell or when the bull appeared to gain the advantage. Witnesses recalled that the crowd seemed to sympathize with the bull, creating an unusual atmosphere for the performers.

Twelve bulls were brought from Spain and carefully transported to Belgrade. They were kept at Torlak before the event, with food, water and veterinary precautions arranged along the route. After the final fights, the spectacle was over—and Belgrade would not host another event of that kind. The Tašmajdan bullfight remains one of the most unusual cultural spectacles recorded in the city's modern history.