History
The La Malagueta Bullring was built in 1874 by the Malaga architect Joaquín Rucoba, who was inspired by Neo-Mudéjar architecture for his design. Rucoba had studied in Madrid and Paris, and was one of the main representatives of architectural eclecticism in Spain.
The construction of the La Malagueta bullring was carried out thanks to the initiative of a group of bullfighting businessmen and fans from Malaga, who organized themselves into a society called “La Malagueta”. The society’s objective was to build a modern and functional bullring that could accommodate a large number of spectators.
The La Malagueta bullring was inaugurated on June 11, 1876, with a bullfight in which the bullfighters “El Tato”, “Frascuelo” and “Lagartijo” participated. Since then, the square has been the scene of numerous bullfights and bullfighting events, becoming one of the most important spaces for bullfighting in Spain.
In 1981, the Plaza de Toros de La Malagueta was declared an Asset of Cultural Interest by the Junta de Andalucía, thus recognizing its historical and architectural value. Currently, the square continues to be an emblematic place in Malaga and one of the main tourist attractions in the city. It is owned by the Diputación de Málaga.