The bullrings

The Scene

The bullring. The shape and function of these buildings is similar to that of Roman circuses.

However, they are much newer. The first bullring of Spain was the Real Maestranza of Seville, built in this city in 1741. Before this date, the very ancient ritual of fighting and killing the bull was performed in temporarily adapted public spaces, like the main square of each city.

Monumental de Las Ventas

The bullring of Madrid is considered to be the most important of the world. It was build in the 1930s inspired in Arabic architecture.

Real Maestranza de Caballería de Sevilla

 Is the oldest working bullring of Spain. Its ruedo is not a perfect circle but elliptical.

Some towns still lack a permanent bullring and adapt their main squares for the corrida. This in Santa Cruz de Mudela is an example. Chincón, near Madrid, is another.

Categorías (Categories)

The spectators they can host, the number of corridas they run yearly and its prestige and tradition determine if a bullring is considered to be first class, second class or third class:

Primera categoría (First Class)

To be awarded this honor, bullrings must have a minimum capacity of 10,000 spectators, proof a long bullfighting tradition and host at least seven bullfights per year (six of which must be classic style corridas). Only eight bullrings in Spain hold this distinction: Madrid, Seville, Barcelona (currently not working), Valencia, Bilbao, Zaragoza, San Sebastian and Cordoba.

Segunda Categoría (Second Class)

This bullrings must host over 5,000 spectators and at least five bullfights per year (four of which must be classic style corridas).

Tercera categoría (Third Class)

This category comprises the bullrings unable to meet the requirements stated previously. It is also common in Spanish towns and villages to use portable bullrings, which are built provisionally using scaffolds every time a corrida is going to take place.