Bullfighting, Seville, Spain

Seville, the capital of Andalusia, is one of the most renowned cities in Spain for bullfighting.

Plaza de toros de la Real Maestranza de Caballería de Sevilla: P.º de Cristóbal Colón, 12, 41001 Sevilla, Spain

Seville has a long-standing tradition of bullfighting, and the city’s bullring, called the Plaza de Toros de la Real Maestranza, is one of the oldest and most prestigious in Spain. It was built in the 18th century and is known for its beautiful architecture and historical significance.

The parade before the game

Panoramic view of the bullfighting ring

The matadors (bullfighters) wait for their turns just outside the ring.

A bull is released and charged toward a bullfighter’s assistance waiting.

The bullfight is divided into three parts or acts called tercios.

In the first tercio, the matador and his assistants, called picadores, are on horseback and use long spears to weaken the bull by piercing its muscles.

In the second tercio, banderilleros (bullfighters) place colorful barbed sticks called banderillas into the bull’s back to further weaken it.

Finally, in the third tercio, the matador enters the ring alone with a red cape and a small sword. The objective is to execute a series of artistic and risky maneuvers to defeat the bull and deliver the final sword thrust, called the estocada, which aims to kill the bull instantly.

The matador is ready to thrust the sword into the neck of the cow.

When the cow is killed, the cow is carried away from the ring by the horses.

I saw three rounds of the bullfight before leaving the bullring  It took about 30 minutes for each rounds.

Pictures from the second round of the bullfight

A banderillero (bullfighter) is preparing to place colorful barbed sticks called banderillas into the bull’s back to further weaken the cow.

Facing a matador, the final act

After each round, the ring was cleared

Pictures from the third bullfight. 

I could not upload the video of the cow being killed by the matador to youtube because it was not for children to see, so there are no videos of the final act.