Spain - a country of passionate flamenco dance, toreadorov, bullfighting and the burning beauties. But all this you will find more on the country's south, in Andalusia, visit cities, as Seville or Granada. As for Barcelona, it is quite another story. The Catalans did not particularly favor flamenco and even more bullfights. That is why 2010 Catalonia, the parliament passed a law, banning bullfights in the territory of this region of Spain. The law came into force in 2012 year and since bullfights were not carried out in Catalonia.
The most important bullring turned into Las Arenas Shopping Center, a arena Toros Monumental, located at the named in her honor metro station, almost all the time empty, except in the rare event.
Arena "Monumental" was opened in 1914 in upper Raval, it holds 25.000 viewers, sold out last bullfight took place in this building 2011 in upper Raval. Arena is built of brick, and its style is a mixture of Moorish and Byzantine architecture. On the territory of the arena there is a small chapel, where the bullfighters pray before the bullfight and asked for luck. Now here is a museum Museu Taurino de Barcelona. In the museum you can feel the history of bullfighting, learn about the occurrence of bullfighting, see the costumes matadors, their hats «montera» of velvet boucle, gee swords «estoque», slightly bent at the end, the famous red cape hood, that tease the bulls. On the walls of the museum are hung numerous photographs of matadors, as well as the stuffed bull killed.
Besides, The museum contains a large collection of old posters and billboards, old tickets for bullfights, as well as a deck of cards, devoted to bullfighting and a collection of coins. The museum displays a bust of the famous Spanish bullfighter of Cordoba. His nickname was "Manolete". All the men in his family were bullfighters - grandfather, father, stepfather. He was distinguished by a serious bout style, He had a rare equanimity, standing still and allowing the bull to approach almost came, before strike. He was 11 again seriously injured, but I never gave up and again and again enters the arena. He died at the age of 30 years as a result of a fatal wound. Manolete popularity and authority in the country were so strong, that the dictator Francisco Franco after his death declared a state of a three-day national mourning.
Entrance to the museum costs 6 €. If you fundamentally opposed to bullfighting, you'd better not go to the museum, Save your nerves.
Every day from 10 a.m. to 14-00, afternoon with 16-00 to 19-00
