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Plaza de Toros de la Maestranza
By Fiona Flores Watson
This magnificent bullring is considered to be one
of the finest in Spain and is one of the oldest and most important
in the world. Although many of the younger generation in Spain abhor
the sport, it remains phenomenally popular, especially in Seville,
and the 'Catedral del Toreo' is the perfect place to experience
the electric atmosphere of a corrida (bullfight).
The building, with its impressive Baroque façade,
dates from 1762 -1881 (under a succession of architects) and was
immortalized in Bizet's Carmen. The arena accommodates 14,000 and,
despite its size, the acoustics allow you to hear everything wherever
you're sitting. The main entrance is the Puerta del Príncipe
(the Prince's Gate) with beautiful 16th-century iron gates, originally
from a convent, made by Pedro Roldán. After an outstanding
performance the torero (bullfighter) will be carried out through
these gates on the audience's shoulders. Look out for the slight
slope in the arena; it's higher in the centre than near the stalls
to give the bullfighter an advantage - he can sprint downhill to
get behind the barricade, while the bull has to come to a stop to
avoid crashing into it.
The tour visits the small but interesting museum,
which traces the sport's history from the 18th century to present
day. Its collection of memorabilia includes costumes, posters and
bull's heads, as well as paintings of some celebrated Sevillano
toreros such as Juan Belmonte and Joselito El Gallo,
whose suits worn at the tender age of 14 are on display. You also
visit the chapel, dedicated to the Virgen de la Caridad, where fighters
pray before entering the ring, and an infirmary - in 20 per cent
of bullfights the torero needs emergency treatment. (The bulls aren't
as lucky, of course. All are killed.) There's a souvenir shop selling
books, postcards and posters in the entrance.
Famous visitors to the Maestranza include Hollywood
screen legend Rita Hayworth (original name Margarita Carmen Dolores
Cansino; her father was Sevillano); and her second husband, bullfighting
aficionado Orson Welles, who came to Seville in the 1960s to write
and learn the sport.
The corrida season is from Easter Sunday to 12 October,
with around 20 fights in total. Many celebrated matadors appear
during Feria week at the end of April. Other important corridas
take place on 10 June, 15 August, the last weekend in September
and 12 October. Fights usually take place on Sunday evenings. For
more information, see our bullfighting
section and our bullfighting
calendar.
The Plaza de Toros de la Maestranza is located Paseo
de Colón, 12 overlooking the river Guadalquivir. Tel: 954
224 577
Opening hours
Daily 9.30am-7 pm, except on bullfighting days until
3pm. Entrance by guided tour only (in English and Spanish), every
20 minutes, lasts 20 minutes.
Entrance: 4 Euro
Tickets for bullfights cost from around 8 to 70
euro, from the taquilla (ticket office, open Saturday and Sunday
only).
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