Osborne Bull From A to Z

The Osborne Bull "El toro de Osborne is a 14 meters high black silhouetted image of a bull in semi-profile, and is regarded as the unofficial national symbol of Spain. The bull was created in 1956 by Manolo Prieto. Nowadays the conservation of the bulls is handled by the family of Félix Tejada.

The Osborne sherry company (founded by Thomas Osborne Mann in 1772) erected large images of bulls starting in 1956 to advertise their Brandy de Jerez.[1] They were in black (with the brand "Veterano" in red on it) advertising hoardings located on sites near to major roads throughout Spain. The original image was smaller and in a slightly different design. It got bigger as a law barred publicity within 150 meters of a road.

Later on a new law was passed in 1994, this time prohibiting such advertising, and so the hoardings were to be removed. By this time the signs were nationally renowned, so although some campaigners wished them completely removed to fully comply with the intent of the law, public response resulted in the signs being retained, but completely blacked out to remove all reference to the original advertisers. The Court eventually allowed these signs to remain on the grounds that it has become a part of the landscape where it is present and its "aesthetic or cultural significance" thus turning it into a figure of public domain.

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One of the most recognised “national” symbols for all tourists visiting Spain, the Toro de Osborne is a huge black bull that watches over the Spanish roads. However, despite common belief, this bull is not a symbol of Spain, but the advertising logo used to promote a brandy-sherry by a group of wineries called “Osborne”.

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The Osborne Bull can be found by roadsides all over the country of Spain.If you are planning a trip to the country you can locate where the closest billboard will be in relation to your travels. Click on the map for information on how to locate all of the bulls in the country.

The Osborne sherry company (founded by Thomas Osborne Mann in 1772) erected large images of bulls starting in 1956 to advertise their Brandy de Jerez. They were in black (with the brand "Veterano" in red on it) advertising hoardings located on sites near to major roads throughout Spain. The original image was smaller and in a slightly different design. It got bigger as a law barred publicity within 150 meters of a road.

(Click the photo for additional information)

Could the Osborne Bull be coming to a roadside in the United States?

Spain's most famous landmark, the huge, black silhouetted image of the Osborne bull that looks down over roads across the country, could soon leave Spanish shores for new pastures abroad.

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