Plaza de Toros de Ronda facts for kids
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The Plaza de Toros de Ronda is a famous Bullring located in the city of Ronda, Spain. It is a very old and important building. The bullring is about 66 meters (216 feet) wide. It has two stone rings that form a passage around the main area.
Inside, there are two levels of seats for spectators. Each level has five rows that are raised up. There are also 136 pillars that create 68 arches. The special Royal Box has a sloped roof with beautiful Arabic tiles.
The main entrance to the bullring is grand. It features two large columns and the royal shield of Spain. This shield is surrounded by fancy baroque designs. The main door is big enough for horses and carriages to enter the ring. Above the door, there is a detailed iron balcony. This balcony shows off the rich history of bullfighting culture.
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History of the Ronda Bullring
The city of Ronda is home to a very old group called the Real Maestranza de Caballería. This group is the oldest and most respected order of horsemanship in Spain. It has been around since 1485. That year, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, known as the Catholic Monarchs, took Ronda back from the Moors. This ended over 700 years of Islamic rule in the area.
Building the bullring began in 1779 and finished in 1785. It is located on the western edge of Ronda. It's only a short walk from the famous Puente Nuevo bridge and the El Tajo canyon. The design of the bullring is thought to be by the architect Martín de Aldehuela.
This bullring might not be the very oldest in Spain. However, it was one of the first to be built entirely from stone. Many other early bullrings used a mix of stone and brick. Another special feature is that all the seats in the arena are covered. This makes it unique.
The Ronda bullring is considered quite small, with only about five thousand seats. But the actual bullfighting area itself is the largest in Spain. The first bullfight event in Ronda happened in May 1784. Sadly, part of the stands collapsed, and the building had to close for repairs.
It reopened the next year in May 1785. This second opening event is famous as one of the greatest bullfights in Ronda's history. Two rival bullfighters, Pedro Romero and Pepe Hillo, faced each other. Many important families from Ronda came to watch.
In 1923, a theater called the Espinel theater was built next to the bullring's main entrance. Because of this, the bullring's entrance was moved to Virgen de la Paz street. It is still there today, across from a restaurant named after Pedro Romero. Later, in the 1980s, the old Espinel theater was taken down and moved. A parking lot was put in its place.
In 2009, the parking lot was removed. The city of Ronda held a contest for designers to create new gardens. These gardens are now next to the bullring's entrance. Some historians wanted the original entrance to be put back. But today, beautiful gardens stretch to a scenic viewpoint near the ring. These gardens celebrate the golden age of bullfighting in Spain.
Famous Bullfighters of Ronda
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Soon after the bullring was built in the 1700s, the Romero family from Ronda became very famous. They produced bullfighters for over three generations. The most important of them was Pedro Romero (1754-1839). He was a key figure in bullfighting history. It is said he fought and killed more than 5,600 bulls.
The Romero and Ordóñez families were known for their amazing bullfights at the Plaza. You can see bronze statues of Cayetano Ordóñez and his son Antonio Ordóñez outside one of the bullring's entrances.
Antonio Ordóñez created the Feria Goyesca. This is a special bullfight held every year during the first week of September. It honors Pedro Romero. The Ordóñez family is considered the second great bullfighting family of Ronda. They take part in this event along with other bullfighters and their helpers. Everyone dresses in costumes that look like the characters in paintings by the Spanish artist Francisco Goya.
Because Ronda is a smaller town in a rural area, this bullring does not host as many bullfights as bigger places like Seville. However, the bullring in Ronda is open to the public. You can visit it by paying an admission fee. In 2023, the fee was 9.00 Euros.
The Bullfighting Museum
The bullring also has a museum inside it. This museum is called the Museo Taurino. It is dedicated to the history of bullfighting. The museum displays famous bullfighting clothes and important outfits from the past two centuries.
The collection also includes many weapons. These weapons were used by the Real Maestranza in Spanish wars. The museum is open all year. However, it closes during the week of the Feria in September. The cost to enter the museum is also 9.00 Euros.
Other Uses of the Bullring
The Plaza de Toros de Ronda has been used for more than just bullfights. In 1994, the American singer Madonna filmed her music video for the song "Take A Bow" in the bullfighting arena. She had planned to invite fans to be extras in the video. But this plan was changed just before filming started.
Madonna's co-star in the video was a Spanish bullfighter named Emilio Muñoz. He played her Latin lover in the story. In 2001, the bullring was also a location for a TV show. It was used for the final quiz and challenge in the first season of the American reality TV show The Mole. The show was hosted by Anderson Cooper.
See also
In Spanish: Plaza de toros de Ronda para niños
