Mac Rating: 5.00 | Votes: 1 | Date: 21/06/2026 00:03:00

A sixteen-sided ring of brick and iron beside the sea, the Plaza de Toros de la Malagueta is the bullring of Malaga, set in the seafront district that shares its name. Its unusual polygonal shape and arcaded galleries make it a distinctive landmark on the city's eastern side. It was designed by the architect Joaquin Rucoba, who also built Malaga's central market, and constructed in the 1870s. After a pause in the work, it was inaugurated on 11 June 1876 with a traditional bullfight featuring leading matadors of the day. The building is in a neo-Mudejar style, and its use of brick and iron made it notable in the city. The arena measures 52 metres across, and after a refurbishment in 2010 it holds just over 9,000 spectators in its tiered galleries. Within the complex are the pens, stables, dressing rooms and an infirmary that a working bullring requires, along with the Antonio Ordonez Bullfighting Museum, named after the celebrated matador from nearby Ronda. The museum displays costumes, photographs, posters and other material related to the tradition. The ring has a particular association with Pablo Picasso, who was born in Malaga and was taken to bullfights here as a child. The bullring became a recurring motif in his early drawings and, later, in his treatment of bullfighting throughout his work. Recognised for its architecture and history, the building was declared a historic site in 1976 and a site of cultural interest in 1981, giving it formal heritage protection. It remains an active venue, hosting events during Malaga's fair and other occasions, while also drawing visitors to tour the arena and its museum outside the bullfighting calendar. Standing close to the port and the city beaches, it is one of the recognisable structures of the seafront, its circular outline visible from the surrounding promenades.