Happy birthday to Spain’s most famous roadside giant. For 70 years, the iconic Osborne bull has stood watch over motorways and hillsides across the country, becoming one of Spain’s most recognisable symbols along the way.
Originally created as a roadside advert for the Osborne drinks company, the huge black silhouette long ago outgrew its commercial roots. Today, it forms part of the Spanish landscape itself, including several locations across Alicante province.
A familiar sight on the Costa Blanca
Drivers can still spot Osborne bulls near Benidorm, Elche and Alicante city, standing high above the roads much as they have for decades.
Photographer and Osborne bull historian Juan Carlos Barberá says Alicante once had more Osborne bulls than any other province in Spain.
The growth of tourism on the Costa Blanca helped spread the famous silhouette during the same years the region was rapidly expanding.
“One used to stand in Torrellano, near Alicante-Elche Airport, but it was removed for repairs and never returned,” Barberá explains.
From billboard to cultural icon
Artist Manuel Prieto designed the original bull in the 1950s for the Osborne company.
The first version appeared near Madrid in 1957. It was made from wood and measured just four metres tall.
By 1961, the structure switched to metal and gradually evolved into the towering 14-metre design recognised today.
The bulls nearly disappeared completely after Spain introduced road advertising restrictions in 1988, banning large adverts beside highways.
However, public support for the silhouette grew so strong that artists, writers and ordinary citizens campaigned to protect it.
In 1997, Spain’s Supreme Court ruled that the Osborne bull could remain because of its cultural and artistic importance.
Still standing strong
Today, 92 Osborne bulls still stand across Spain.
Maintaining them is no small task. Each restoration uses around 50 kilos of paint, while every structure consists of 70 welded metal panels.
