Bullfighting in Spain. Bullfighting in Valencia: where and when you can watch the show Bullfighting in Spain schedule Valencia

Bullfighting is a fight between a man and a bull. Tourists who have visited bullfighting in Spain express a variety of opinions about this performance: from a brutal massacre to a magnificent show. However, everyone is unanimous that bullfighting is an exciting spectacle that will not leave anyone indifferent.

History of bullfighting

The history of the creation of bullfighting begins in antiquity and is associated with the tribes that lived on the Iberian Peninsula. In this area, many ancient rock paintings were found depicting ritual actions involving bulls. In such rituals, only priests were allowed to kill bulls.

By the 7th century AD, bullfighting ceased to be a ritual and became a favorite folk entertainment in Spain. In the 16th century, almost every major Spanish festival featured a bullfight. It was at this time that bullfighting became the main cultural event in the life of the Spaniards. Particularly crowded and noisy bullfights took place in the central square of Madrid, where important events for the country usually took place: royal coronations, public holidays and public executions.

Until the beginning of the 20th century, even representatives of the fair sex could take part in bullfighting. Thus, in the 1839 bullfight, which took place in Madrid, only women played the roles of matadors and picadors.

Bullfighting today

Bullfighting is called a tragedy in three acts. The first act involves a picador and a bullfighter, who waves a colorful (usually red) cape as he evades the attack of an angry bull. In the second stage, the banderillero thrusts pointed sticks, hung with colored ribbons, into the body of the angry animal. In the third act there comes a denouement, during which the bullfighter must defeat the bull by hitting him in the heart with a sword. If he wins, he receives the ears and tail of the animal. If the bull is not killed within ten minutes of the final act, then it is given life.

The venue for the bullfight is a specially equipped round area, around which several thousand spectators are located, which, in general, resembles a circus arena.

The success and entertainment of the competition largely depends on the dexterity of the bullfighter entering the arena. Therefore, training to become a bullfighter begins at the age of ten. At the age of 18, he first enters the arena to fight a bull. The bullfighter's skill and readiness to compete are assessed by experts who are well versed in the specific rules of bullfighting. The professionalism of the participants is determined by the level of risk and the quality and grace of the execution of special figures.

The bullfighter receives an impressive fee for each performance. The most famous and popular of them earn up to 100 thousand dollars per performance. However, the professional career of a bullfighter ends at the age of forty.

For the entertainment of bullfights, a special breed of bulls is bred. Animals are raised on specially equipped farms, where they are fed and trained. The harsh conditions of detention harden them, making them angry and immune to danger. The most aggressive and fearless are selected to participate in the competition.

Place and time of the bullfight

In Spain, bullfighting is held in almost all major cities. The most large-scale and colorful events take place in Seville, Madrid, Ronda, Barcelona, ​​Valencia, Malaga, Zaragoza.

Every year, the bullfighting schedule undergoes slight changes in dates. The official schedule with changes and additions is approved every year on October 12. Typically, events begin at the end of Easter week (late March - early April) and end in mid-October. In the first months after the opening of the season, bullfights can be observed almost daily. By mid-summer, bullfights are almost over. Then, in mid-August, bullfighting resumes, but performances take place much less frequently.

How to get to the bullfight

Having decided on the place and time of the bullfight, you can enjoy the spectacle by purchasing tickets in advance. You can purchase tickets directly at the event site. Places are distributed across several sectors. The best tickets called Sombra are for seats that are in the shade. The worst option is Sol tickets for seats under the scorching sun. The middle option is Sol Y Somra tickets, designed for places that periodically (as the sun moves) are in both shade and sun. The choice of observation location depends on the preferences of each individual.

For the Spaniards, bullfighting is not only an exciting spectacle. The tradition, rooted in distant ancestors, has become a pride and symbol of national identity for the people of Spain. It is not for nothing that all the peoples of the world associate Spain primarily with bullfighting.

Bullfighting in Valencia, as in other large cities in Spain, is held several times a year. Special performances linking art, sports and national traditions are held infrequently and are always timed to coincide with important Spanish holidays. Despite repeated public protests, bullfighting is still alive.

Fights between matadors and bulls were banned in the Canary Islands and Catalonia. But in other regions of Spain they do not want to give up the traditional national festival (la fiesta national - another name for bullfighting). And the memory of the most famous matadors is preserved by erecting monuments to them.

This monument is erected in Valencia in front of the bullring. The Valencian bullfighter Manolo Montoliu, who died during a fight with an angry animal in the arena of Seville, is immortalized on the pedestal.

Very risky competitions... What is bullfighting for a matador? This is a fight with an unpredictable opponent. Although bulls are trained for battle, the large, headstrong animal goes into battle for his own reasons, known only to him.

The type of bullfighting practiced in Spain today originated in the 18th century. Since then, the fight between a matador and a bull has been regulated by new rules. If previously the main participant performed on horseback, then new conditions required dismounting. At the same time, cylindrical architectural objects reminiscent of Roman amphitheaters began to be erected for competitions.

To this day, Spanish cities have preserved arenas that are used for their intended purpose. In large centers, these structures are appropriately large and, among other things, are architectural monuments.

Bullring in Valencia

In Valencia, the Plaza de Toros arena was built in the mid-19th century over the course of ten years. Already in the summer of 1859, the new site was celebrated with the first performance of bullfighters. Although the construction was completely completed in 1861.

The Valencian Arena belongs to the highest category in terms of its status. The architecture of the building is reminiscent of the Roman Colosseum. The clear rhythm of the rounded arches gives the building both severity and airiness. In reality, the building, 108 meters in diameter, despite its dimensions, does not seem massive and combines surprisingly well with the surrounding architecture.

The Plaza de Toros arena currently seats 10.5 thousand spectators. This is significantly less than it was at first. Built during the heyday of bullfighting's popularity, the arena previously seated 16,850 people. The reconstruction of the stands with a reduction in the number of seats took place after a fire that occurred in 1946.

It is interesting how the seats for spectators are distributed in terms of comfort. This is not the case when the first rows are more valuable. In Spain, in open stands, ticket prices literally depend on the Sun. Places are divided into sunny and shady. Since the performance usually starts at 17.00, when the rays are still quite scorching, tickets on the sunny side are cheaper. And above the entrance to the arena there is a sign with the designation Sol (sun) or Sombra (shadow).

The markings on the grate suggest that this entrance leads to the shady side, while in the first photo the arches will lead to sunny areas.

Where is the Valencia Arena

In Valencia, the bullring is located almost in the city center at Carrer de Xàtiva, 28. It is adjacent to the main railway station. We can say that Plaza de Toros is the first attraction that tourists will see in Valencia.

If you arrive by train from other coastal cities, you will find yourself at Gare du Nord next to the arena. And when you get to the city center, it is also most convenient to get off at the Xativa station, and this is directly a stone’s throw from the station and the arena.

Bullfighting schedule in Valencia

Since in every city in Spain the main holidays are associated with the name of the patron saint, celebrations in different regions take place in different months and days. In Valencia, bullfighting is timed to coincide with the Fallas celebrations in March, the feast of St. Virgin in May, the celebration of St. Jaime in July and the Day of the Valencian Community in October.

The March and July holidays are distinguished by mass performances. For example, we saw this poster for July 2017 near the arena during our trip to Spain:

Matador performances took place daily from July 19 to 23, but only three times were there real fights. Where novillada is indicated in the schedule, it means that novice matadors will enter the arena. The same poster contains information about the October event - novillada also took place on October 9, 2017.

Some of you may be interested in the preliminary schedule of bullfighting in Valencia for 2019. The general plan of events is already known:

Tickets for the bullfight can be purchased both online and directly at the arena box office. Their cost may differ by an order of magnitude, depending on the location. The cheapest tickets start from 16 €. But for some events such prices are out of the question. For the most interesting shows, where venerable bullfighters perform, ticket prices can start from 150 €. Online booking and delivery of tickets within the country is carried out by the Toroticket service.

Bullfighting still has a strong place in Spanish culture. Many Spaniards believe that the traditional fight between a bullfighter and a bull is the embodiment of the national spirit. In their opinion, spectators come to watch the skill and courage of the matador. Should a foreigner visit such a spectacle? Everyone is free to resolve this issue at their own discretion. Personally, another national art is closer to me in these southern regions - .

Bullring on the map of Valencia

Bullfighting in Spain is a dangerous sport that excites the blood; a graceful art comparable to ballet; centuries-old traditions and the embodiment of the Spanish character, passionate and expressive.

Originating in ancient times, bullfighting has always been associated with confrontation. Initially, man challenged the dangerous animal and nature itself. During the heyday of the Spanish Empire, attending bullfights became a luxury that only kings and court nobility could afford. Poets, writers and artists of various eras had mixed feelings about this hobby. Garcia Lorca called bullfighting “a true drama,” and the Spanish artist Goya created a whole series of works with scenes of bullfighting and even depicted himself as a bullfighter.

Some admire this exciting spectacle, others condemn it. But definitely, bullfighting is worth seeing at least once in your life!

Where does bullfighting take place in Spain?

Arenas (plaza de toros) are divided into three categories. The highest are the largest arenas of Madrid, Pamplona, ​​Seville, Valencia, Cordoba and Malaga. The second category includes the arenas of the main cities of the Spanish provinces. Among them, for example, is the bullring in Alicante. The third category is small arenas in coastal towns such as Benidorm or Benalmadena (in the south of the country).

In the “orange capital”, finding a bullring is not difficult - it is located next to the northern railway station and almost in the very center of the city. Bullfighting has been held there for more than a century and a half.

Bullfighting in Valencia will not only give you pleasure, you will feel like you are in Ancient Rome. The Valencian arena is shaped like the Colosseum, where gladiator fights were held: a large audience was seated in a circle, and the action itself took place in the center on the sand.

You should go to the most grandiose bullfights in Valencia in March, during the celebration of Las Fallas. The program promises to be intense. Tickets are on sale now, but due to high demand, early booking is recommended. Our service center specialists will help you purchase tickets to the bullfight in advance.

Buy a ticket to the bullfight

When you look at the price list for bullfighting, you may be surprised at the range of prices - from 10 to 100-200 euros. The Spaniards themselves, when buying tickets to a bullfight, first of all pay attention to who will perform. The more famous the bullfighter, the more expensive the “performance”.

Also, the price depends on where you sit. However, the principle “the closer, the better and more expensive” does not apply here. Typically bullfighting in Spain starts at 5 pm and one side of the arena has sun and the other does not. Privileged places are in the shade, they are called “sombra” (shadow). Cheaper tickets are classified as “sol” (sun). Where to sit is up to you, but it so happens that in the sun the public is more active and cheerful.

Where to buy bullfight tickets

Do you want to visit a bullfight while traveling? There is no point in delaying purchasing tickets until you arrive at your intended vacation spot. Thanks to the development of technology and the Internet, you can plan your trip to the bullfight in advance and reserve seats without leaving your home. The most reliable way to purchase tickets is through the official websites of the arenas where the fights take place or on the official websites of distributors, for example: bullfightticketsmadrid.com, tengoentradas.com, taquillaoficial.com. It is important to know that sometimes instead of a ticket, the buyer is sent a barcode, according to which he must receive a ticket directly at the box office at the venue of the bullfight.

Bullfighting schedule in Spain 2018

Attention! Arenas may change event dates, so please check this site for the correct date before purchasing tickets.

Bullfighting in Barcelona

Barcelona also boasts a beautiful architectural structure, the Monumental Arena, which opened in 1914 and was the last bullfight in Catalonia. Another defunct bullring in Barcelona, ​​opened in 1900 and built in the Neo-Mudéjar style, graces the Plaza de España. Tourists come there not to watch a fight to the death, but to empty their wallets. The arena was converted into a shopping center after the official abolition of bullfighting in Catalonia in 2012.

The reason for this decision was numerous discontent from both local residents and animal rights activists. The last bullfight at the Monumental was sold out on September 25, 2011. And even the fourfold markup on tickets didn’t bother anyone. Catalonia became the second region after the Canary Islands to ban bullfighting.

It is worth noting that, according to a recent decision of the Spanish Constitutional Court, holding bullfights in Catalonia is again possible. However, such an event will apparently not happen soon, since the current owner of the Monumental arena does not yet plan to use the building for its intended purpose.

Bullfighting in numbers

• In 1775, the first round bullring (plaza de toros) was built in the southern Spanish city of Ronda. Fights are still taking place there. Ticket prices range from 30 to 100 euros.
• Enrique Ponce is the richest bullfighter (according to People with money magazine), his fortune is estimated at $58 million. A ticket for his performance in Valencia costs from 40 to 100 euros.
• In 1958, four-meter figures of bulls appeared on Spanish highways, advertising Osborne brandy. And in 1994, the Spanish Congress of Deputies passed a law recognizing these bulls as “a cultural and artistic element of the Spanish landscape.”