Las Ventas Bullring
The Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas has a capacity of over 23,000 people. It is the largest bullring in Spain and the third biggest in the world, after the bullrings in Mexico City and Valencia (Venezuela).
The bullring, established in 1929, on the site known as “Las Ventas del Espíritu Santo”, was designed in a Mudéjar style with red brick and 61-meters in diameter arena.
The Las Ventas bullring is Spain's most important, followed by the Plaza de Toros de la Maestranza in Seville.
History
From 1913 onwards, the bullfighting passion in Madrid grew significantly and the first bullring built in 1874 was soon too small for all the spectators. The construction of a new and larger arena was proposed, so that all the bullfighting fans could witness the show by lowering the price of tickets.
The construction of the new ring began in 1922. In 1931 the monument was inaugurated and was named “Las Ventas del Espíritu Santo”, the same name as the site where it was erected.
In 1931, the neighbourhood surrounding the arena was one of the poorest in Madrid. It was close to the cemetery, where the city’s marginal population barely survived.
Book your Visit
If you don't want to attend any of the bullfights, but you want to get to know the bullring, you can do so by booking a tour that will allow you to see the main points of interest of the bullring. You'll walk through the bullring, the paseíllo, the upper tiers and the courtyard, getting to know all the ins and outs of the bullring with the help of the audio guide.
You can make your reservation through the website at this link:
Schedule
May: Monday from 10amto 7 pm, Tuesday through Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm
April to October: everyday from 10 am to 6 pm
November to March: everyday from 10 am to 5 pm
Price
Adults: € 16 (US$ 16.90)
Childrenaged13-18, students, and retirees: € 13 (US$ 13.70)
Children 5 -12 years old: € 7 (US$ 7.40)
Children less than 5 years old: free
Las Ventas Bullring Tour € 16 (US$ 16.90)
Nearby places
National Archaeological Museum, Madrid (2.2 km) Plaza de Colón (2.2 km) Madrid Wax Museum (2.4 km) Retiro Park (2.4 km) Puerta de Alcalá (2.4 km)