Maestranza

Seville, Spain

The Plaza de toros de la Real Maestranza de Caballería de Sevilla is a 12,000-capacity bullring in Seville, Spain. During the annual Seville Fair in Seville, it is the site of one of the most well-known bullfighting festivals in the world. It is a part of the Real Maestranza de Caballería de Sevilla, a noble guild established for traditional cavalry training.

Construction began in 1749 of a circular ring on Baratillo Hill to replace the rectangular bullring that was previously located there. In 1761, the construction began to incorporate ochavas (each ochava being equivalent to four arches). The inner facade of the plaza (Palco del Príncipe) was completed in 1765. This 'box' consists of two parts: the access gate through which the successful bullfighters exit, and the theater box itself, which is reserved for the exclusive use of the Spanish Royal Family. The topmost part is composed of four arches over which is built a half-orange vault, whose topmost portion is covered by white and blue tiles. The sculptural group that concludes the composition is the work of the Portuguese sculptor Cayetano de Acosta. The Palco was built for the Infante de España, Felipe de Borbón, son of Felipe V and Isabel de Farnesio.

When Carlos III prohibited bullfighting celebrations in 1786, work on the sculptures was halted, even though only one-third of the plaza had been completed at the time. 

After 34 years the cover of the launching slips of half of the ring was finished, to the left and right of the Palco del Príncipe; being easily viewed from the cathedral and the Giralda it was reflected in a great number of stamps of the time. By 1868 the Palco de la Diputación was in such a lamentable state that Italian sculptor Augusto Franchy undertook the improvement himself, building a new area with a marble balustrade and the crest of the Real Maestranza de Caballería. The construction of five balconies to each side of the Palco de la Diputación was also added where the ring's clock is currently situated. The construction of the ring was completed in 1881; two thirds was constructed in stone, with the remainder in wood.

Between 1914 and 1915 the stone grandstands were redone in brick under the direction of Sevillian architect Aníbal González. All the rows were reconstructed with a smoother slope. Ten to twelve rows of shaded seating were constructed as well as fourteen rows in the sun and three rows of barrier. A row of armchairs were built in the superior part of the shaded area, in front of the theater boxes.

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Details

Founded: 1749
Category: Miscellaneous historic sites in Spain

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

Rating

4.4/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Dave T (4 months ago)
I m a bit torn I do not like the idea of bullfighting and do believe it is of a time and belongs in the time. I do believe it is part of the history and the culture, but still leaves me uneasy. The building itself is beautiful and the tour is overpriced at 10 Euro as it is short and takes about 20 minutes. It is interesting however.
Millie Croft (4 months ago)
Deffo worth the €10 entry fee! The museum was really interesting and visiting the bullring was really cool. Would definitely recommend if you have a spare hour when walking along the riverfront. No need to pre-book tickets. There is a ticket desk through the main doors and staff are helpful and friendly!
Lynette finch (5 months ago)
We decided to visit here, not knowing what to expect, but we were really surprised. We paid 10 euros entrance fee each for the museum and we used our phones for the audio guide. The history of the place and of bull fighting was really interesting and we were able to walk out into the centre of the bullring. The building itself is amazing. We'll worth every centime.
John Gledhill (6 months ago)
Our recent trip to Seville found us visiting the Plaza de Toros de Sevilla. This bullring is the largest, as well as a very important arena for bullfighting in Spain. It is an oval arena located in the El Arenal harbour district of the city. Records state the bullring was built in the 18th century and can accommodate circa 13,000 spectators. The Plaza de Toros has a beautifully unique Baroque façade which dates from 1762-1881 and is quite a sight to see. On the day of our visit there was no events taking place but regardless, the ability to still walk the concourse, visit the museum with all of its historic artefacts was a great experience. To top it all and, this would only be possible on days where no events were taking place, we were able to walk through the gates and into the arena itself. Standing in the middle of the ring visualising yourself as the matador facing the raging bull and onlooking crowds was quite an experience. People’s differing views towards bull fighting are wholly acknowledged and this review is not about or endorsing the bull fight but, this is purely a review on what a historic and spectacular building the Plaza de Toros is. If in Seville, this arena is certainly worth a visit to simply sit in the stands and enjoy the beautiful structure and very peaceful environment it creates. Given the sun always shines in Seville, this also enhances the experience.
Mike Torre (6 months ago)
A fun and interesting way to spend a few hours and learn a bit about bullfighting in Seville. The audio guide is free and easy to use, unlike some other sites we've visited. It is super informative and paints a picture of what a bull fighting event might be like. We thoroughly enjoyed it and got some great photographs.
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