A Tour of the Plaza de Toros Las Ventas

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Plaza de Toros Las Ventas is the third largest bullfighting ring in the entire world, and its right here in Madrid! Bullfighting is a traditional Spanish art in which an individual, typically a man, with a sword and a cape tries to attract a bull as close to his body as he can (by movement of the cape), without allowing the bull to hurt him. Crowds of people watch on anxiously as the man stares death straight in the eyes. At the end, the man kills the bull, and the crowd judges how artful and beautiful they deem the performance. If the man performed well, he will be given the ears and tail of the bull as a trophy.

Many foreigners to Spain, and those unfamiliar with the tradition of bullfighting, may wonder what’s the meaning behind this tradition? Bullfighting can be a touchy subject for many, as some people find bullfighting to be an inhumane way to treat an animal. I decided to take an interactive tour of Las Ventas, to find out for myself what this Spanish tradition is all about.

Discover more of the city’s amazing sites and attractions by taking advantage of the many different type of tours in Madrid! From traditional walking and bus tours to more unique bike and segway tours!

If you’re looking to delve deeper into Madrid’s arts and culture scene, check out our article on the city’s most notable museums and exhibitions. For more of our recommendations regarding local museums and ticket purchases, check out our articles about the famous Paseo del Arte and Madrid’s Top Muesums.

About Las Ventas

Las Ventas is an almost 100 year old bullring located in the heart of Madrid. Truly, it is one of the greatest monuments of the capital, patrimonially protected due to its architectural beauty. Nobody who visits Madrid can leave without getting to know Las Ventas and admiring its “neo-Mudejar” style, inspired by the orientalist style, with bricks in geometric shapes, tiles and beautiful arcades. The tour starts at the Puerta Grande and there, precisely, some notions of the architectural importance of the building are given.

Secondly, another point that is attended throughout the route, with some very attractive audiovisual content, is the ecological importance of bull breeding in Spain: thanks to the bull, in Spain more than half a million hectares of a unique ecosystem are conserved in the world, such as the Iberian meadow.

About the Museum & Tour

The tour also addresses a human and liturgical side, trying to make the visitor imagine what a bullfighter feels before facing his own destiny in the most important arena of the world. To do this, the visitor goes through the alley, the ring, the infirmary door and even, the chapel, where the “matadores” pray minutes before making the “paseíllo”. Finally, in the Bullfighting Museum, the visitor can admire the “vestidos de luces”, hand embroidered in gold and silver, authentic pieces of craftsmanship.

This museum offers its visitants an attractive rout throughout bullfighting history, showing its relevance in Spain´s history and culture. Among other pieces of artistic value, is exposed the complete series of the second edition of prints of “La Tauromaquia” by Francisco de Goya, imprinted in etching. Because of the visit aiming to become an experience for the five senses, several fun virtual reality games have been launched through a simulator that allows visitors to bullfight a bull with the “muleta”, or participate in a San Fermín bullfight between bulls and runners.