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 .
To find out more about the emblematic bullring of Las Ventas, you can take a Tour with an audio guide that includes a visit to Madrid’s Bullfighting Museum, Puerta de Cuadrillas gate, the chapel, the infirmary, the area where the bullfighters prepare, and the arena itself. There are also various free virtual experiences including a Virtual Bullfighting Game, where visitors of all ages can feel what it's like facing off against a bull thanks to a VR headset. The audio guide tour is available in 10 languages: Spanish, English, French, Italian, Portuguese, Chinese, Russian, German, Japanese and Korean.
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. This type of tour can also include a demonstration of “toreo de salón” training, where bullfighters hone their skills.
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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