A montera is the

hat A hat is a Headgear, head covering which is worn for various reasons, including protection against weather conditions, ceremonial reasons such as university graduation, religious reasons, safety, or as a fashion accessory. Hats which incorpor ...

traditionally worn by many males and females in the folk costumes of the Iberian peninsula. It has come to name also but not exclusively the ones used by

bullfighters A bullfighter or matador () is a performer in the activity of bullfighting. ''Torero'' () or ''toureiro'' (), both from Latin ''taurarius'', are the Spanish and Portuguese words for bullfighter, and describe all the performers in the activi ...

, introduced to the event in 1835 by Francisco "Paquiro" Montes as accompaniment to the ''

traje de luces The ('suit of lights') is the traditional clothing that Spanish bullfighters (, , and ) wear in the bullring. The term originates from the sequins and reflective threads of gold or silver. These are based on the flamboyant costumes of the 18 ...

'', or "suit of lights". The montera is habitually covered in

astrakhan Astrakhan (, ) is the largest city and administrative centre of Astrakhan Oblast in southern Russia. The city lies on two banks of the Volga, in the upper part of the Volga Delta, on eleven islands of the Caspian Depression, from the Caspian Se ...

fur A fur is a soft, thick growth of hair that covers the skin of almost all mammals. It consists of a combination of oily guard hair on top and thick underfur beneath. The guard hair keeps moisture from reaching the skin; the underfur acts as an ...

with an inner lining of

velvet Velvet is a type of woven fabric with a dense, even pile (textile), pile that gives it a distinctive soft feel. Historically, velvet was typically made from silk. Modern velvet can be made from silk, linen, cotton, wool, synthetic fibers, silk ...

. The image of a

saint In Christianity, Christian belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of sanctification in Christianity, holiness, imitation of God, likeness, or closeness to God in Christianity, God. However, the use of the ...

is sometimes printed on the lining as a

talisman A talisman is any object ascribed with religious or magical powers intended to protect, heal, or harm individuals for whom they are made. Talismans are often portable objects carried on someone in a variety of ways, but can also be installed perm ...

of good luck. The top of the montera is often decorated with a special design. The "bulbs" on the sides of the montera represent the horns of a bull.

References

Bullfighting Hats Spanish clothing {{bullfighting-stub

See also

References