The Plaza de Toros famous bullring of Ronda

Ronda's famous Plaza de Toros bull fighting ring

Saturday, November 2, 2019          Ronda

Michael and I took a walk after lunch to visit Ronda's bullring. It was interesting, as there is a museum of bullfighting, with videos and artifacts. They also have a Spanish riding school and we saw some horses in their stables. 

Plaza de Espana, outside our parador, clean and bright after the morning rain

Exterior of the Plaza de Toros in Ronda

Bronze statue of El Toro

Walking on the main street takes you to the entrance of the bullring, as well as external statues and gardens

The matador statue - one of two statues outside the plaza

Doorknocker for the Plaza de Toros

Below is information from the bullring's website:

"Ronda’s elegant stone bullring was opened in 1784, when it was the setting for Spain’s first ever corrida de toros (bullfight). Partly for this reason, and partly because it has served as the ‘home ground’ for bullfighting’s two greatest dynasties, it is considered the birthplace of this spectacle. 

"Ronda’s bullring is also home to a bullfighting museum. Visitors learn the history and customs of bullfighting, as well as view the elaborate costumes worn by bullfighters. Also explored is the role that Ronda’s Romero and Ordoñez families have played in developing the Spanish bullfight.

"The Plaza de Toros (bullring) in Ronda occupies a special place in modern Spanish culture and history as the home of the Rondeño style of bullfighting. The bullring was built entirely of stone in the 18th century, during the golden years of Pedro Romero’s reign as champion bullfighter.

The full scope of the rueda - the circle of sand - which is the largest in Spain

Two tiers of Tuscan columns enclose the seats in the bullring

Michael looks right at home

The only bullring in Spain where all the seats are covered - although the arena only seats 5000

The chambers and pulley system for keeping and releasing the bulls

"Many tourist guides will tell you the Ronda bullring is the oldest and largest in Spain, -- in fact the story is confusing. The bullring only has seating for 5,000 spectators, hardly the largest in the world, but the rueda, which is the large round circle of sand, is the largest in the world at 66m, making it 6m larger than Spain’s biggest bullring, the Plaza Toros Las Ventas in Madrid. 

"The bullring in Sevilla is considered older having commenced construction in 1761, and was completed in 1785, compared to Ronda’s commencement in 1779 and completionin 1784, though purists agree Ronda’s bullring should be entitled to the crown since it was first to stage a corrida. However, in May of 1784 during the first inaugural corrida to be held in Ronda’s Plaza de Toros, part of the stand collapsed forcing its closure until repairs could be made.

"Ronda’s bullring is unique in having all of the seating under cover. The stands 

were constructed in two levels of seating of 5 raised rows per level and 136 Tuscan sandstone columns forming 68 arches provide support for the top level of seating and the roof of the Plaza de Toros. The main door is large enough for horses and carriages to enter the rueda."

The stables of the royal riding school

The riding arena

The arena for the Real Maestranza de Caballeria de Ronda, Spain's oldest order of horsemanship

Home to the Real Maestranza de Caballería de Ronda, Spain’s oldest and most noble order of horsemanship, an order that traces its heritage back to 1485, and the year the Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella defeated the Moors in Ronda, thus bringing the city back under Christian rule after 773 years of Islamic rule.

While we were visiting the bullring, it began raining pretty hard again, so we returned home by about 4 PM. We had a quiet evening. Michael went to a classical guitar concert, and I stayed home to pack for our visit to Ubeda tomorrow, after a side trip to Granada and the Alhambra.

While we were visiting, the rain returned with a vengeance...

A quiet late afternoon with our view from our parador patio