Campo Pequeno Bullring facts for kids
Exterior of the venue
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| Location | Lisbon, Portugal |
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| Coordinates | 38°44′33″N 9°8′43″W / 38.74250°N 9.14528°W |
| Type | Bullring |
| Capacity | 6,848 (bullfighting) 10,000 (concerts) |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 1890 |
| Opened | 1892 |
| Renovated | 2006 |
| Architect | António José Dias da Silva |
The Campo Pequeno Bullring (Portuguese: Praça de Touros do Campo Pequeno) is a famous building in Lisbon, Portugal. It's located on Avenida da República.
This special place is used for many events. You can watch bull races here. It also hosts music concerts, fairs, and exhibitions. The bullring can hold about 10,000 people for concerts. For bullfighting, it has 6,848 seats. Bullfighting events usually happen in spring and summer.
Contents
A Look Back: History of Campo Pequeno
People have seen bulls as powerful symbols for a long time. In many old stories, gods even looked like bulls. This animal often meant strength, new life, and power. Fighting bulls was a way to show bravery and strength. Kings in the past enjoyed watching these fights. Some even fought bulls themselves.
In the 1500s, King Sebastian of Portugal ordered the first bullring in Lisbon. It was built in a place called Xabregas. Later, other bullrings appeared in Lisbon. The area of Campo Pequeno had a small wooden bullring in the 1700s.
The current Campo Pequeno bullring replaced an older one. That old bullring, in Campo de Santana, closed in 1888. It was unsafe because it was falling apart. So, in 1889, the city of Lisbon gave land for a new bullring. This land was given to an organization called Casa Pia.
Casa Pia is still in charge of bull races in Lisbon. But back then, they let a private company build the new bullring. This company would run the bullring for 90 years. After that, the building would belong to Casa Pia. The new bullring cost a lot of money. It was built by a group of Portuguese investors. Today, the Campo Pequeno bullring is a protected building. It is considered a "Property of Public Interest."
Campo Pequeno Today
The Campo Pequeno bullring was built with strong brick. It opened in 1892. Its design was inspired by the bullring in Madrid, Spain. It has a beautiful neo-Arabic style.
In the early 2000s, the bullring got a big makeover. The inside of the ring was changed. But the outside kept its original look. The biggest change was a new roof. This roof can be removed. It makes the bullring useful all year round. Now, it can host many different events.
Since 2006, a former bullfighter named Rui Bento Vasques has managed the bullfighting events. Below the bullring, there is a shopping center. It's called the Campo Pequeno shopping center. There are also shops, bars, and restaurants on the ground floor.
In 2019, new owners took over the bullring. They are a businessman named Álvaro Covões and the Horizon fund. Álvaro Covões is known for organizing concerts. The Horizon fund manages big buildings.
Museum of Campo Pequeno
The Campo Pequeno Museum reopened in 2015. It shows the history of Portuguese bullfighting. It also celebrates national traditions. The museum has many old items. Some were donated by famous bullfighters.
The museum wants to keep the bullfighting tradition alive. It also wants to share this culture with everyone. It shows the important heritage of bullfighting.
Many people visit the museum. From its opening until early 2016, 11,000 people visited. They came from 94 different countries. Most visitors were from Portugal and France. Others came from Germany, Brazil, Italy, and Spain. Some visitors even came from far-off places like Iraq and New Zealand.
The Building's Design
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The Campo Pequeno bullring was designed to improve Lisbon. In the 1800s, Lisbon was growing. The city wanted to expand north. This new area would connect different parts of the city. It would have wide avenues and grand buildings. This was a huge change for Lisbon. It was the biggest change since the 1755 earthquake.
Campo Pequeno was chosen for the bullring for a reason. There had been a simple wooden bullring there before. Also, Campo Pequeno was seen as a good public spot.
Before this big plan, Campo Pequeno was mostly countryside. It had a few farms and one palace. Lisbon used to be smaller, closer to the river. But in 1885, a new city plan was made. It decided to expand Lisbon to the north.
Today, Campo Pequeno is more than just a bullring. It's a busy city square. It has gardens, a shopping center, and many buildings. There are homes, offices, a library, and banks. This makes Campo Pequeno a lively part of Lisbon.
The Bullring's Architecture
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The design for the bullring was inspired by Madrid's bullring. It has a neo-Mudéjar style. This means it uses an Arabic architectural look. The main architect was Dias da Silva. He worked with Henrique Sabino dos Santos and Emile Boussard.
The building uses mostly brick. But it also has metal, especially on its domes. This gave it a modern look for its time. The domes were inspired by Byzantine, Russian, and Indo-Islamic styles. They look a bit like St Mark's Basilica in Venice. They also resemble St. Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow.
The bullring's design is mostly neo-Arab. It is a round building with many towers. These towers make the outside look grand. The building is made of brick. Its roofs are metal domes. They have decorative tops.
Inside, there is the main arena for shows. This arena can change with the removable roof. Below the arena, there is a shopping area. Campo Pequeno is a great example of neo-Arab style in Lisbon. Its design helped attract money. It also made Lisbon a more modern city. Today, the area around Campo Pequeno is very popular. It has good homes and many shops.
Public Spaces in City Life
Campo Pequeno is a great example of a public space. It fits into different types of public spaces.
First, it's a place used by many groups. Different people use the square at different times. For example, students and business people might have lunch there. At night, some homeless people might rest on the benches. Also, specific groups gather to watch bull races.
Second, Campo Pequeno is a common space. It offers many services. This brings different people together. Everyone can access it, no matter their background. It's a flexible space. You can see many different cultures there. It's open to everyone, no matter their social status or beliefs.
Third, it's a collective space. Throughout the day, different groups play sports there. You might see people playing soccer or running. It's also a family-friendly place. There's a playground where children play after school.
Geotourism at Campo Pequeno
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Geotourism is a type of travel. It focuses on the natural history of a place. It looks at interesting geological sites. These are places with special rocks or landforms. Geotourism often attracts people who want to learn more. It's usually smaller scale and helps local communities.
Any place can be good for geotourism. Every place has its own geological history. Even cities can be interesting for geotourism. Most people live in cities. So, seeing natural heritage close by can be very meaningful. City life can be stressful. Traveling to learn about geology can be a way to relax.
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The Lisbon subway has four lines. The Yellow Line goes through Campo Pequeno. This line could be called the "Stone line." It has three stations famous for their stone work. These are Campo Pequeno, Saldanha, and Entrecampos. Here, art and geology mix. Visitors can admire the beautiful stone designs.
Bullfighting and the Law
Today, animals have more rights under the law. This makes people think about how humans treat animals. The Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare (UDAW) was approved in 1978. It says that all animals have a right to live. It also states that animals should not be treated cruelly. A key part of the UDAW says animals should not be used for human entertainment. It says shows with animals are not good for their dignity.
These rules from the UDAW could challenge bullfighting in Portugal. Portugal follows international agreements. But the UDAW is not a strict law. So, countries don't face penalties if they don't follow it.
The Portuguese Constitution includes international laws. However, Portuguese lawmakers are slow to change old traditions. They are still very focused on human needs. This makes it hard to solve conflicts about traditions like bullfighting. Bullfighting causes disagreements in society and in parliament.
The Campo Pequeno bullring has been a place for protests. People protest both for and against bullfights. This shows that the bullring is also a place for public debate. There is a lot of disagreement about bullfighting in Portugal. Campo Pequeno is important for bullfighting tradition. But it's also a key place for animal rights activists. They use it to raise awareness. Campo Pequeno will likely remain a central place in the fight to end bullfights.
Many people believe that ending bull shows is getting closer. This is because of new laws about animal rights.
Images for kids
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Campo Pequeno Square
See also
In Spanish: Plaza de toros de Campo Pequeno para niños
- Portuguese-style bullfighting
