This article examines the relationship between 'intellectuals' and 'popular culture' in the Spanish national identity construction process. It analyses specifically how bullfighting -a very popular show since the 18th century, condemned by Spanish enlightened men who managed to abolish it- became one of the distinctive features of the Spanishness in the middle of the following century. Liberal 'intellectuals' had to face up to the widespread love of bullfighting among of the Spanish peopel, the fact that, since 1808, this one was considered by liberal revolutionaries to be the main political agent on which base the political legitimacy, and its rising to the category of last character responsible for the Spanish 'national character' -in a great measure through the European romantic myth of Spain. In view of this situation some of them accepted the bullfighting as 'fiesta nacional' (national entertainment) after negotiating its image and adapting it to the new liberal bourgeois society.