The Malagueta bullring

Located in the neighbourhood bearing the same name, the Malagueta bullring was inaugurated on the 11th of June 1876, debuted with a legendary first corrida led by the famous matador Rafael Molina, nicknamed Lagartijo, meaning ‘little lizard’ in Spanish. It was designed by the same architect behind the Atarazanas Market, who decided to make this 52-meter-wide arena to embody the neo-Mudejar style, a decorative, oriental-inspired architecture that blossomed across the Iberian Peninsula in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. From 1939 to 1943, the structure even served as a prison, before being declared a historic and artistic site on the occasion of its centenary. Today, while the Malagueta serves as a cultural centre, complete with its very own bullfighting museum, it still comes alive each year with major events in its central sand-covered ring, called the ruedo. These include the August bullfighting fair and the “Corrida Picassiana,” during which matadors wear costumes inspired by the legendary style of Málaga’s own Pablo Picasso.One of the most iconic and well-equipped bullrings in all of Spain, the Malagueta was built by an innovative company called “La Malagueta,” whose dream was to create one of the most modern arenas of the time, big enough to draw in crowds and grand enough to leave a lasting impression. It’s a site that perfectly blends tradition and history, just the way we like it!