The Plaza de Toros in Santa Cruz is an important part of history and culture in Tenerife’s capital city Santa Cruz.
It is an iconic building that has played an important role in the life of the city, especially for bullfights. It was home to a number of famous matadors, including Manolete and El Cordobés. The bullring was also a popular destination for tourists, the Plaza de Toros being threatened by its own Canarian government.
The bullring opened on 22 March 1893 and the last bullfight took place there in 1983. Although bullfights historically played a prominent role in Spanish culture, the popularity of these events has declined and measures were taken in the Canary Islands to ban bullfights. Afterwards, it was used for other events and specific organisations for many years. In 2003, the bullring was closed due to safety concerns and has stood empty ever since, in a pitiful state of disrepair. The arena is built in a typical red brick facade (which is plastered) and has been a protected monument for years.
Special plan
It is almost unfathomable that this gem of traditional architecture has been languishing for descennia, despite its ‘protected monument’ status. The Canarian government’s proposed idea to extend the Plan Especial Histórico – the Special Historic Plan – of the Los Hoteles-Pino del Oro neighbourhood beyond the area where Plaza de Toros is located has gone down the wrong way with the city council.
That plan envisaged an expansion for hotels in this area. The extension of the special plan for hotels stipulates that its boundaries will be moved such that the Plaza de Toros and Avenida 25 de Julio, including all properties located above the Rambla de Santa Cruz, including Hotel Mencey and Hotel Los Lavaderos, will be in this area.
The mayor, José Manuel Bermúdez, explained that the arena will deteriorate further if the special plan for hotels is extended. The current city government will seek refuge in the courts if the Cabildo, the Canarian government, goes ahead with the idea of expanding the intended demarcation for historic spaces. Besides, the arena is a protected site and is privately owned. The plan is acute, the Plaza de Toros is under threat.
New destination
Bermúdez is confident that the current island government will reconsider its approach and choose to seek a solution that preserves the brick circular façade of this characteristic building in Tenerife’s capital and gives it a new use. The problem is that with this Special Plan, neither the exterior, nor the stands, nor the pens in which spectators sit will be allowed to be touched.
The Santa Cruz arena was inaugurated in 1893 after the presentation of the project by Antonio Pintor Ocete on behalf of the La Tinerfeña Society. In 1924, the plaza caught fire and much of it was destroyed: stalls, grandstands, pens and pigpens were all affected. The reopening took place in 1927. Figures of every decade passed through the square until 1977, the following year almost no celebrations were held due to the lack of fan interest and the cost of transporting the bulls from the peninsula. The last bullfighting show took place on 7 January 1984.
More History [HERE]
More Culture [HERE]
GoogleMaps © Photography
Plaza de Toros ©
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