Fermin to Pamplona in 1196, the city decided to mark the occasion with an annual event. Over the centuries, the saint's festival, the ancient annual fair and the running of the bulls and subsequent bullfights have all melded together. The Abbey of Saint-Acheul in Amiens was founded in 1085 on the supposed tomb of Saint Firmin. Under the choir of the abbey's church there is a vault in the place where the body of Saint Firmin was miraculously discovered. The cult of St Firmin was of great religious and economic importance to Amiens during the Middle Ages and into modern times.
Running of the bulls wooden fences is erected to direct the bulls along the route and to block off side streets. A double wooden fence is used in those areas where there is enough space, while in other parts the buildings of the street act as barriers. The gaps in the barricades are wide enough for a human to slip through but narrow enough to block a bull. The fence is composed of approximately three thousand separate pieces of wood. Some parts of the fence remain in place for the duration of the fiesta, while others are placed and removed each morning. Spectators can