Bullring

The bullring in Ronda is open to the public, with a small admission charge. The bullring also houses an interesting museum dedicated to the sport. One of the oldest bullrings in Spain is located in the hilltop village of Ronda in Andalucia, southern Spain. It is the venue for one of the most spectacular corridas of the year. In early September the ring hosts a week-end of bullfights in celebration of Pedro Romero, the Saturday corrida being staged in Goyesc costume for which tickets are very hard to obtain. The Ronda bullring, with its history, architecture and beauty is regarded as one of the oldest and monumental bullrings in Spain. This is no coincidence as Ronda is considered to be the seat of Bullfighting and equestrian sports. It was in 1572 that Philip II created the Real Maestranza de caballeria in Ronda for the purpose of creating the necessary training in horsemanship. Bulls were incorporated into the training because of the ferocious way in which the animals charged the horses. This training became an exciting spectacle for the whole town. In the 18th century the horsemen´s games were replaced by the unmounted bullfighter and the Romero family emerged in Ronda, providing over three generations of the most outstanding bullfighters. The most important of them was Pedro Romero (1754-1839), a key figure in the history of bullfighting. He retired after slaying more than 5,600 bulls without ever being hurt. As a result in the popularity of the sport in Ronda, the famous bullring was constructed. The arena has a diameter of 66 metres, surrounded by a passage formed by two rings of stone. There are two layers of seating, each with five raised rows and 136 pillars that make up 68 arches. The Royal Box has a sloping roof covered in Arabic tiles. In the 20th century, Ronda produced a second dynasty of bullfighters. The Ordoñez family whose approach to bullfighting drew the attention of Ernest Hemingway, who dedicated to them, his works Fiesta and Death in the afternoon.