Santa Cruz Bullring facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Santa Cruz Bullring |
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The bullring in 2012
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| General information | |
| Type | bullring |
| Location | Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain |
| Coordinates | 28°28′N 16°16′W / 28.467°N 16.267°W |
| Opened | 30 April 1893 |
| Closed | 2003 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Antonio Pintor Ocete |
| Designations | Bien de Interés Cultural (2014) |
The Santa Cruz Bullring (also known as Plaza de toros de Santa Cruz de Tenerife in Spanish) is a famous building in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain. It first opened its doors in 1893. This historic bullring hosted its last bullfight in 1983.
After that, it was used for many different events. However, it fully closed in 2003 and is now empty. There are ideas to give it a new purpose. In 2014, it was recognized as a Bien de Interés Cultural. This means it's a special building that is important to culture and history, so it needs to be protected.
Contents
Building the Bullring
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The Santa Cruz Bullring is located in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. You can find it where Rambla de General Franco and Calle Horacio Nelson meet. This area is close to La Paz.
A talented architect named Antonio Pintor Ocete designed the bullring. It was built between 1892 and 1893. When it first opened, it could hold about 6,800 people. The grand opening event took place on April 30, 1893.
Unique Design and Structure
The bullring has a special look called Mudéjar-style. This style mixes Spanish and Islamic art. The outside of the building has 32 sides, making it a polygon shape.
The whole building is about 80 meters (262 feet) wide. The bullring itself is 48 meters (157 feet) wide. It also has a tower in the middle. The builders used strong iron for the main frame instead of wood. This was because of a rule from the city at that time. The walls, the ring, and animal pens were made of stone. The stairs and seats were also built from stone found right at the building site.
Early Years and Challenges
Building this bullring caused some debate. This was because another bullring had just been built nearby in La Laguna in 1891. In 1924, the Santa Cruz Bullring had a big fire. But it was fixed and reopened three years later.
At its most popular, the bullring attracted huge crowds of up to 8,000 people. Famous bullfighters, known as matadors, performed there. Some of these included Luis Mazzantini and Antonio Moreno Fernández. In 1947, there was a plan to tear down the bullring, but it never happened.
Life After Bullfighting
The last bullfight at the Santa Cruz Bullring was on December 18, 1983. Later, in 1991, bullfighting was banned in the Canary Islands. This meant the bullring had to find new ways to be used.
It became a place for many different events. It hosted carnival celebrations, boxing matches, and wrestling shows. It also became a popular concert venue. Famous artists like Celia Cruz, Rubén Blades, and Mecano o Jerry Luis Lewis performed there. In 1986, a large blue and white cover was put over the bullring. However, it fell down a few years later, but luckily no one was hurt.
Why the Bullring Closed
The bullring fully closed its doors around 2003. This happened because new safety rules were put in place for public event venues. The old building did not meet these new safety standards.
Future Plans for the Bullring
There have been many ideas for what to do with the bullring. Back in 1986, there were plans to turn it into a modern stadium that could hold 10,000 people. But this project never happened.
In July 2008, a competition was held for architects to redesign the bullring. Antonio del Pozo Mozo, his son Cesar, and Carlos Bernal Limiñana won the competition. Their design would have kept the old outside walls. Inside, they planned to build modern shops and offices, along with green spaces.
In 2014, the bullring was given special status as a Bien de Interés Cultural. This was part of a bigger effort to protect the historic Barrio de los Hoteles area. This status means the building is important and should be preserved.
New Ideas for Redevelopment
The bullring is owned by different people who have shares in it. The Hafez family owns more than half of these shares. In 2018, they suggested two new plans to rebuild the site. These plans included building an underground car park, fun leisure facilities, and homes. They also wanted to make the street outside the bullring a pedestrian-only area, meaning only people could walk there, not cars.
See also
In Spanish: Plaza de toros de Santa Cruz de Tenerife para niños
