PLAZA TOROS CIUDAD REAL

legendary bullfighters, renovations and the Virgen del Prado Fair

Ciudad Real Bullring - Perfection, tradition and modernity

The City of Ciudad Real bullring is a venue deeply rooted in history that has nevertheless adapted to modern times. Every August, the Virgen del Prado Fair offers the chance to see the leading figures of bullfighting in a setting that perfectly blends tradition and modernity. Discover it.

This is one of the most representative bullfighting venues in Castilla-La Mancha. Nearly two hundred years of history lie behind it. Since opening its doors in 1843, the City of Ciudad Real Bullring has been a silent witness not only to regional bullfighting, but above all to the evolution and progress of this art over time.

Over the years, the arena has hosted countless unforgettable afternoons, becoming almost bicentennial thanks to events such as the Virgen del Prado Fair in August and the now-defunct Charity Bullfight, which for many years was broadcast live on Spanish national television. It has also staged occasional bullfights at other times of the year, including during Holy Week.

Legendary figures such as Joselito and Belmonte, Antonio Ordóñez—who fought his last bullfight in lights in this arena—Curro Romero, El Cordobés, Espartaco, Enrique Ponce, Jesulín de Ubrique—who in 1998 pardoned “Bizcochazo”, the first bull to be spared in this bullring—José Tomás, El Juli and the much-remembered Iván Fandiño all delivered performances here that still live on in the collective memory of local fans.

Among bullfighters from the region, memorable afternoons were provided first by José Ruiz “Calatraveño”, and later by Paco Alcalde and Antonio Sánchez Puerto during the 1980s. A decade later came his nephew Víctor Puerto, followed in more recent times by Aníbal Ruiz, Luis Miguel Vázquez, Emilio Huertas, Carlos Aranda and Fernando Tendero, the last bullfighter of notable prominence produced by this area.

Special mention must be made of José Tomás Reina Rincón, born in 1979, who took his alternative in this ring in 2000 after a promising career as a novillero, tragically cut short by his death in Peru in the summer of 2002. In 2005, a bullfighting sculpture was unveiled outside the main gate of the City of Ciudad Real bullring in his memory.

Over the years, the bullring has undergone several renovations aimed at improving comfort and functionality. In addition to bullfighting events, it has also hosted cultural activities such as concerts, themed festivals, circuses and sporting events from various disciplines.

However, the passage of time and the materials used in its construction—masonry, rammed earth and wood—led to significant deterioration, mainly due to weather conditions, making further renovations necessary. The most severe took place in 1873, although the most significant is arguably the most recent one, carried out between 2019 and 2023.

This latest renovation affected the façade, seating areas and access points, resulting in a reduction of capacity by one thousand seats. The previous capacity of 8,729 spectators was reduced to the current 7,740 seats.

The first bullfight of this new era took place on 28 April 2024, featuring Morante de la Puebla, Emilio de Justo and Andrés Roca Rey, who fought bulls from the Luis Algarra ranch. Since then, the bullring—used as a concentration camp for Republican prisoners during the Spanish Civil War—now stands tall and restored, proudly safeguarding part of the essence of the past two centuries of this art.