Sheep replaced cars on the streets of Madrid on Sunday, as shepherds following ancient herding routes led their flocks through the centre of the Spanish capital to southerly pastures for winter grazing.
Locals and tourists lined the route and watched as thousands of sheep walked through the city, the bells around their necks providing a noisy soundtrack.
The annual event was revived in 1994 as part of Madrid's annual Fiesta de la Trashumancia, after the Spanish parliament recognised the traditional routes shepherds used to herd their livestock.
Just a few centuries ago, the route would have taken them through quiet countryside, but today it sees them traverse some of the busiest areas of the city, including the Plaza Mayor, Madrid's main square.
Onlookers took pictures and videos on their phones, while some children held out tentative hands to stroke the sheep.
The closeness of the animals delighted the urban dwellers who gathered to watch the unfamiliar ritual. Children tried to touch the soft merino wool of the locally bred sheep. In Spain, modern farming methods have reduced practicing transhumance - the seasonal movement of livestock - to a small group of farmers that keep the tradition alive through associations such as Concejo de la Mesta, who are responsible for the Transhumance Festival in Madrid.
They promote transhumance for advantages such as sustainability, cultural value and environmental protection since areas walked by sheep are less prone to wildfires.
According to the Transhumance and Nature Association, 52 families carry out the practice in Spain.
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