Las Ventas Bullring

Las Ventas Bullring

Neo-Mudejar style bullring of the 20s where bullfights, concerts and events are held. The plaza de toros de Las Ventas, known simply as Las Ventas [las ˈbẽn̪.t̪as], is the largest bullfighting ring in Spain, located in the Guindalera quarter of the Salamanca district of Madrid. It was inaugurated on June 17, 1931

Las Ventas is the name given to the bullring of Madrid because that was the name of the area in which it is located. It currently has a capacity for 23,798 spectators, although 23,624 tickets are available at the box office. It is the largest bullring in Spain and the third largest square in the world with more capacity, behind Mexico and Valencia (Venezuela). The Las Ventas arena is the second largest in the world in terms of diameter, with 60 meters, behind that of Ronda. Since 1994, the Las Ventas bullring is a building considered as “an asset of cultural interest with the category of historical-artistic monument”.

The inaugural poster dates from 1931. A replica is located at the Great Gate. On that occasion, eight matadors who participated in the first bullfight of Las Ventas on June 16 made the paseillo. This celebration was a charity event to raise funds for the unemployed Madrileños of that time.

The square did not return to run until 1933 and the official inauguration was in 1934, when the construction was completed that gave so many problems, among other causes, for the place chosen for its location, which needed abundant dismantling and arrangements. This poster included the Republican flag that would disappear after the civil war of 36, a stage in the History of Spain in which bulls were not held and the arena of this square became a large orchard to supply the soldiers.

In 1947 Livinio Stuyck created the San Isidro Fair coinciding with the patron saint’s day. The idea of giving celebrations for continuous days, forming a serial, led Madrid to become the most important square worldwide. It is, at present, the fair with the largest number of celebrations.