Las Ventas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Las Ventas |
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Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas
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Las Ventas bullring
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| Former names | Las Ventas del Espíritu Santo |
| General information | |
| Type | Bullring |
| Architectural style | Neo-Mudéjar |
| Address | c/ Alcalá, 237 28028 Madrid |
| Town or city | Madrid |
| Country | Spain |
| Coordinates | 40°25′55.5″N 3°39′47.8″W / 40.432083°N 3.663278°W |
| Current tenants | Plaza 1 |
| Inaugurated | June 17, 1931 |
| Owner | Comunidad de Madrid |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | José Espeliu |
| Other information | |
| Seating capacity | 23,798 |
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| Official name: Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas | |
| Type | Non-movable |
| Criteria | Monument |
| Designated | 1994 |
| Reference no. | RI-51-0008990 |
The Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas, usually called Las Ventas, is a very famous bullring in Madrid, Spain. It's the biggest bullring in Spain and one of the largest in the world! It opened on June 17, 1931. With 23,798 seats, it's the second-largest bullring still used for its original purpose today.
This amazing building was designed by architect José Espeliú. It has a special look called Neo-Mudéjar style, which uses beautiful ceramic decorations. The seats are arranged in sections called "tendidos." The price of a seat depends on how close it is to the action and if it's in the sun or the shade. Shaded seats are usually more expensive! The bullfighting season runs from March to October. During the San Isidro Fiesta, there are bullfights every day. On other days, they happen every Sunday or holiday. Fights usually start in the late afternoon and last a few hours.
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History of Las Ventas
Around 1913 to 1920, bullfighting became very popular in Madrid. The city's old bullring, Fuente del Berro, wasn't big enough anymore. A famous bullfighter named José Gómez Ortega "Joselito" said that Madrid needed a new, much larger bullring. He wanted to share this important part of Spanish culture with more people. His friend, architect José Espeliú, started working on the design.
A family named Jardón gave the land for the new bullring to the Madrid Provincial Council. They agreed that the family could manage the arena for fifty years. On March 19, 1922, the first stone of the new bullring was placed. The building cost 12 million pesetas to build. It was meant to replace the older bullring from 1874.
"Las Ventas" was finished in 1929. Two years later, on June 17, 1931, a special charity bullfight was held to open it. The place was completely full! Bullfighting stopped during the Spanish Civil War and didn't start again until May 1939. During a difficult time in Spain's history, the bullring was used for other purposes.
There's even a special type of Spanish music called a Pasodoble named 'Plaza de las Ventas'. The composer Maestro Manuel Lillo wrote it especially for this arena.
Las Ventas Structure and Features
"Las Ventas" has a main ring, or arena, and several other areas called "patios." Its design is in the Neo-Mudéjar style, which means it has a mix of Christian and Islamic art influences. You can see ceramic tiles showing the coats of arms of different Spanish provinces. The arena itself is 60 meters wide. The seating area is divided into 10 sections called "tendidos," each with 27 rows. Some of these sections are in the shade, and others are in the sun.
The person in charge of the bullfight, called the president, sits in the 10th Tendido. The Royal Box is very fancy, with its own Mudéjar design, a bathroom, and a lift. Across from the Royal Box, on the roof of the grandstand, there's a clock. The bullring has five main gates. There are also three "toriles" gates where the bulls enter the arena. The "cuadrillas" gate, between tendidos 3 and 4, leads to the horse yard. This is where the "paseíllo" (a parade before the bullfight) begins, and the "picadores" (who use lances) come out. The dragging gate, which leads to a room where the bulls are prepared after the fight, is between tendidos 1 and 2. The most famous gate is the "Puerta Grande" (Big Gate), also known as the Gate of Madrid. It's between tendidos 7 and 8. For a bullfighter, leaving through this gate, especially during the San Isidro Fiesta, means they had a very successful performance!
The bullring also has a small chapel and an infirmary with two operating rooms, just in case of emergencies.
Other Uses for Las Ventas
Las Ventas is not just for bullfighting! It's a versatile venue used for many different events.
Cultural Visits and Tours
You can visit Las Ventas all year round with the Las Ventas Tour. This tour includes an audio guide in 10 languages. You get to explore the bullring and its interesting bullfighting museum. It's a great way to learn about its history and architecture.
Concerts and Music Events
Many famous music artists have performed at Las Ventas.
- The Beatles played here on July 2, 1965.
- In 1991, Diana Ross had a concert as part of her world tour.
- Depeche Mode performed here in 1993.
- The rock band AC/DC played at the bullring in 1996. They even recorded their concert video, No Bull, here!
- In 2003, Radiohead held a concert, which was their only stop in Spain that year.
- Kylie Minogue performed in 2009.
- Coldplay played at Las Ventas in 2011 for a special music series.
Red Bull X Fighters
Since 2002, Las Ventas has hosted the Red Bull X Fighters FMX event. This is an exciting freestyle motocross competition where riders perform amazing tricks and jumps.
Tennis Matches
In 2008, the arena was transformed into a clay court for tennis! The Spanish Davis Cup Team, led by the famous Rafael Nadal, played their semifinal match against the United States here. They won in front of their home crowd!
Theatre Performances
Since 2014, Las Ventas can also be set up as a theatre. It's called Gran Teatro Ruedo Las Ventas and can seat 858 people for plays and other performances.
See also
In Spanish: Las Ventas para niños
- Spain Davis Cup team
- List of tennis stadiums by capacity
