The 5 most picturesque bullrings in Andalucia

Take a look at five of the most charming and picturesque bullrings in Andalucia.

Bullfights have always been a symbol of Spain and, more particularly, of Andalucia. The bullfighting tradition as we know it nowadays was born in the warm territories of the most southern Spanish region. That is why you should take a look at them, may it be only for the sake of getting to know deeper the Andalusian culture.

Come with us, and enjoy this interesting route through the most picturesque bullrings in Andalucia. Discover the traditions and curiosities that make famous each one of these bullfighting arenas.

1. Plaza de Toros in Ronda (Malaga)

The great town of Ronda presents one of the oldest and most picturesque bullrings in Andalucia. Built in 1785, saw the bullfighting traditions see the light thanks to Pedro Romero, the first bullfighter ever.

Romero was the grandson of Francisco Romero, who during Philips II’s kingdom, saved the life of an aristocrat. During that time, the Plaza de Toros in Ronda was the see to the Real Maestranza de Caballería, a centre for horsemanship training, where bulls were employed too. When an aristocrat fell off his horse, Francisco Romero came to his help, distracting the bull with a hat. As the hat was substituted with a cape, bullfighting art was born.

Pedro Romero mastered the art in the following years, ending its career without being hurt once. This record is one of the reasons for which he is considered one of the best toreadores of the history of tauromachy.

The architecture of the bullring remembers that of the Charles V Palace in the Alhambra of Granada, and it also has a museum, known as El Museo de la Real Maestranza de Caballería, where you can admire the history of bullfighting, which in Ronda was born as it is known nowadays.

2. La Maestranza in Seville

Built in 1758, the bullring of Seville is among the oldest of Spain. Its Baroque architecture is a true symbol of the Capital city of Andalucia, together with the emblematic Arabic monuments of Torre del Oro and the Giralda.

It is known mainly for being the first place to see the modern bullfighting on foot, rather than on horseback, together with the bullring in Ronda. Even though it can welcome only 12500 people, in this bullring the best toreros challenge themselves from April (when the Feria de Abril takes place) until October.

3. Plaza de Toros in Campofrío (Huelva)

The bullring in the town of Campofrío in Huelva is the fourth oldest bullring in the world and the oldest in Spain, among those that are still active. It was built in 1716 by the Brotherhood of Apostle Santiago, renewed in 1936 and 1977, and nowadays is part of the Andalusian Historical Patrimony. It is the first example of distinctive masonry architecture, to which the pianist and composer Rafael Prado dedicated a double march in 2002.

One of the bullring’s key features is that it welcomes other types of events that share nothing with the bullfight traditions. Among them, it is worth mentioning tennis championships, astronomy fairs, and dance shows.

4. Plaza Ochavada in Archidona (Malaga)

The town of Archidona does not own a typical bullring, and this is what makes the Ochavada square such a unique site. In fact, this bullring is delimited by plenty of buildings, among which the town hall, from whose windows you can enjoy spectacular views over the bullring.

The square was built to solve a sanitary emergency provoked by the unhealthy conditions of this area in 1786. In a matter of years, the square converted in the town’s centre, and the corridas started taking place here. After some centuries of absence, in 2010 these shows returned to Ochavada, making it one of the most picturesque bullrings in Andalucia.

5. Plaza de Toros in Antequera (Malaga)

This bullring’s remodelling process started in 1980 when the spectacular door was built. The reconstruction of rest of the façade followed afterwards, and in the new building, the old brick construction mixes perfectly with the whitewashed walls.

Therefore, the inhabitants of Antequera have been given one of the most appealing and picturesque bullrings in Andalucia. It is such a beauty that various spots have been filmed here, including the video clip for Madonna’s hit “Take a Bow”.

These are only five of the most picturesque bullrings in Andalucia.

If you feel attracted by the bullfights tradition, come to Andalucia to discover the bullrings!

Have you ever been to any of these bullrings? Would you like to add any other bullring? Leave a comment, and tell us how you feel about it!