The bullring of Almendralejo began construction on April 1, 1843. Before its construction, the current Plaza de Espronceda, formerly known as Plaza del Altozano, was the venue where bullfights, masquerades, and cane games were held. The first bullfight celebrated in Almendralejo, recorded in history, dates back to the year 1605, on the occasion of the birth of Prince Felipe, who later became King Felipe IV.

 

The bullring was promoted and funded by the "Sociedad de la Plaza de Toros de Almendralejo," which was established for this purpose, and 170 shares were sold at 700 reales each. The bullring cost 120,000 reales and was built under the direction of local master builders Pedrera and Tinoco. It was inaugurated on September 29, the feast day of San Miguel, in 1843, with a performance by the famous bullfighter Juan León "Leoncillo."

 

The initial construction consisted of a grandstand with thirteen steps over brick vaults and a wooden barrier.

In 1881, it underwent its first remodeling, with four more tiers added to the grandstand, reducing the size of the bullring to its current dimensions.

 

The main restoration took place in 1912, according to the project by Lorenzo de los Santos, using the Neo-Mudéjar style. The old uncomfortable and deteriorated boxes were demolished, and ten new boxes were built. An external flying gallery was added, and the main staircase to access this external corridor was constructed. Cast iron columns were installed, and the box ceilings were made of wooden frameworks. As a result of these restorations, the bullring boasts powerful outer walls with arches and vaults, topped with a delicate and elegant metal structure, also highlighting the fine ironwork.

 

After the 1912 renovation, the Society faced a significant deficit, and none of the members wanted to take charge of the Board of Directors. Consequently, the Society was left without legal representatives, and the guarantors sued the Society, leading to its purchase by several owners. In 1942, winemaker Alfonso Iglesias Infante acquired it, and thanks to this fact, we can say that this bullring is unique worldwide because it has an incredibly beautiful winery underneath the stands, which can be visited as part of a tourist tour of the city. In need of more space to store wine, the winemaker decided to take advantage of the space beneath the stands due to its favorable temperature and humidity conditions. Cone-shaped vats and tanks were built into the ground and walls of the winery. The winery is covered by a brick vault with pointed arches, sheltering a row of cones with a capacity of 750,000 liters.

 

In 1975, it was sold to the "Sociedad Extremeña de Espectáculos. S.A.," and since 1988, the bullring has belonged to the Almendralejo City Council, which exchanged it for the Hospital of San Juan Bautista.

 

 

To visit, please schedule a prior appointment with our tourist office.