Based on a project by José Espelius, who died during its construction, it was completed by Manuel Muñoz Monasterio in 1931 and opened in the same year. Las Ventas holds 23,798 fans and, at 196 feet in diameter, the arena is one of the largest in the world. The bullring has a capacity for 23,798 spectators and a ring with a diameter of 60 metres, which makes it the largest in Spain and the third largest in the world, behind Mexico and Venezuela.
Constructed in a Neo-Mudéjar style with hand-painted tiles, it houses an important bullfighting museum which illustrates the history of Las Ventas; it also has a chapel devoted to the Virgen de Guadalupe and to the Virgen de la Paloma, patrons of Mexico and Madrid, respectively. The bullring also has an infirmary equipped with the latest technology and two complete operating theatres. It also has three cultural halls: Antonio Bienvenida Hall, Antoñete Hall and the Cossío Hall, which is also home to a small library with more than 2,000 volumes. Exhibitions and informative events are held in them throughout the season.
Since 1994, the building has been considered to be a Site of Cultural Interest in the category of Historic Artistic Monument .
LAS VENTAS TOUR
If you’re looking to learn more about the Las Ventas bullring, you can sign up for a guided tour lasting between 60 and 90 minutes, taking you through the stands, the bull pens, the toreros' entrance, the chapel and even the fighting arena. Expert guides will regale you with all kinds of anecdotes, interesting facts and stories about the great figures that have made their mark on the history of this majestic bullring.
There is also an immersive audiovisual projection as part of the tour, a fully sensory experience that allows visitors to feel all the excitement of a bullfight from the inside.
In addition, there are audio guides available in 10 languages: Spanish, English, French, Italian, Portuguese, German, Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Russian.
You can also learn more about the bullring on a private guided tour, especially designed for groups and visitors who want a more personalised experience, available in Spanish, French and English.
And you could sign up for a demonstration of “toreo de salón” training, where bullfighters hone their skills.
For more information, check with Las Ventas Tour.
VIRTUAL TOUR OF LAS VENTAS
In January 2021, Las Ventas Bullring launched this new immersive experience which allows you to enjoy one of Madrid’s most emblematic and popular monuments free of charge and from anywhere in the world.
Use your desktop, mobile, tablet or VR headset to explore 17 spots, including the Main Entrance (Puerta Grande), an exhibition of taxidermy bulls (toros bravos), the front row seats (tendidos), the chapel (capilla), the stables (patio de cuadrillas), the bullpens (toriles), the bullring (ruedo), the infirmary (enfermería) and the museum. Las Ventas Tour has been created using Matterport’s 3D camera, a state-of-the-art technology which has also been used by other cultural institutions such as London’s National Gallery and New York’s Open Gallery.
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