Bullfighting is one of Spain’s most antique and important traditions. Each year thousand of people gather in Las Ventas, in Madrid, for the bullfighting season.
Photo by stevendepolo
Las Ventas is the most important bullring in the world with a capacity of 25,000; it was inaugurated in 1931 with a charity bullfight. It is considered the hardest bullring for matadors to succeed. For a Spanish matador, being carried out of Las Ventas on the shoulders of his fans is the statement of ultimate career success. Take the metro to Las Ventas station or a bus from Calle Alcala to get to the plaza.
Bullfights are scheduled every weekend from March to October but the best time to appreciate the real art of bullfighting is during the months of May and June when the San Isidro festival takes place in the city. There are fights every day for three weeks where Spain’s best matadors attract fans from all over the country. Tickets during the festival are usually sold out in advance and prices vary according to the seating area; sunny areas cost less than shaded ones. For the rest of the season you can get tickets the same day of the fight in the bullring.
A bullfight consists of three matadors, each one appearing with two helpers, against six bulls (two for each matador). It usually lasts for about two hours. The most experienced matador goes first, except when there is a new matador to be presented to the public; this presentation is called “alternativa”.
The fight is divided in three rounds called “tercios”. During the first one, the matador fights the bull with a big cape while one of his helpers provokes it with a “pincho”. In the next round “banderillos” come and stick on the bull three pairs of “banderillas”, sticks with colorful garments, preparing the bull for the third round. The final round is the most important and interesting part of the fight. The matador alone receives the bull with a small red cape and a sword. He has to kill him by thrusting the sword between the bull’s shoulder blades, all this done in an artistic and graceful manner.
If the public likes the fight, it will award the matador with one or two of the bull’s ears or the great price of two ears and a tail. If the last is awarded, the matador is leaves the plaza by “la Puerta Grande” or the big door and it is considered a triumph.
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24 responses to “Bullfighting in Madrid”
Report an inappropriate commentAugust 16th, 2011 at 6:02 pm
No thanks. And that should read KILL the bulls I think.
August 16th, 2011 at 6:06 pm
cruel ,,, also NO thanks
August 16th, 2011 at 6:11 pm
No thanks, hope these medieval so called traditional events will be banned by people
August 16th, 2011 at 6:14 pm
SAY “NO” TO BLOOD SPORTS!!!!!
August 16th, 2011 at 6:24 pm
That’s a no from me too, it should be banned
August 16th, 2011 at 6:28 pm
I´m Spanish and i´m very angry with venere…Why you promote something awful about my country¿? The are many traditional events to promote in my country … In 2 spanish´s regions, bullfighting is prohibited… think about it …
August 16th, 2011 at 6:52 pm
That’s the last time I’ve used Venere. Why promote the torture of innocent bulls? This so called “sport” should have been banned ages ago.
August 16th, 2011 at 7:54 pm
I agree with david. So many beautiful things on spain, why pic something that can be a controversy?? And so o cruel
August 16th, 2011 at 7:55 pm
Would never want to see such thing! Terrible that you choosed this in here!!! I really hope they would stop the bullfights!!!!!!!!!!
August 16th, 2011 at 8:05 pm
how can one advertise for such horrors!
August 16th, 2011 at 8:37 pm
dislike!!!!!
August 16th, 2011 at 11:42 pm
Yes lets ban everything that differentiates one culture from another. Issue every citizen of the world a coke t shirt and we will have 1981. Banning culture is a world government tactic. What next? Ban snake charming?
August 16th, 2011 at 11:45 pm
las corrides de toros són una indecència i una vergonya, els que hi van uns sàdics i Espanya és un pais atraçat,ignorant i cruel per permetre aquestes barbaritats
August 17th, 2011 at 12:08 am
most of the Spanish we are ashamed of this cruel tradition and we are fighting to end it!
August 17th, 2011 at 6:50 am
vergiuenza nacional. crueldad sin limites. sangre mucha sangre, un toro agonizando mientras es aclamado por un publico enfermo y sadico.esto es salvajismo DI NOOOOOOO
August 17th, 2011 at 12:05 pm
Don’t miss the Portuguese version of the bullfight They don’t kill the bull in the ring there. And for all you bleeding hearts – give up eating meat before you comment about blood sports.
August 17th, 2011 at 6:39 pm
aun no quitaron esta salvajada ????
August 18th, 2011 at 2:01 pm
I see you promote violence and cruelty… I´m leaving this page right now!!! Spain is much more than bullfighting!!!!!!
August 18th, 2011 at 2:37 pm
you’re all retarded.
August 18th, 2011 at 5:25 pm
asesinos de animales,torturadores de mentes!!!
August 18th, 2011 at 5:25 pm
I think we should keep in mind that it’s a blogpost. Not a manifesto. I am very much against bullfighting, as are most of you, but I am just as contrary to promoting censorship over education. Post useful information instead of uninformative outcries and eventually less people will go to bullfights.
August 18th, 2011 at 5:25 pm
The fact is that censorship always defeats its own purpose, for it creates, in the end, the kind of society that is incapable of exercising real discretion. – Henry Steele Commage
August 18th, 2011 at 5:29 pm
Lousi, es usted Españ@l ?????
August 18th, 2011 at 6:47 pm
sounds like a very interesting time-honored tradition. where and when do you think it started? do you know the origins of bullfighting?
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