Los Califas Bullring Cordoba, Spain
the bullring of Cordoba
The Cordoba bullring is not just any bullring, the contribution of this bullring to the history of bullfighting is immeasurable, dating back to the Middle Ages.
Mariano de Cavia was the forerunner of this idea, to create a “bullfighting Caliphate”. The bullfighters from Cordoba who have left their mark in this bullring are given the title of “Caliph of bullfighting” (Califa del toreo) . The name “Caliph” comes from the memory of the monarchs who settled in this city during the “Caliphate of Cordoba”.
Every year at the end of May, the prestigious Bullfighting Fair is held in honour of the Virgen de la Salud in which the people of Cordoba and visitors from all over the world enjoy the excitement of bullfighting every afternoon.
THE SPIRIT OF THE CALIPHS OF CORDOBA, PURE AND INTACT IN THE FOOTPRINT OF TIME. ONLY IN CORDOBA CAN YOU BREATHE THE DUST THAT THE ARAB PEOPLE RAISED THROUGHOUT ITS HISTORY.
The historical grandeur of the Cordoba Bullring
In the neighbourhood of Huerta de la Marquesa, the bullfighting ring in Cordoba is a first-class bullring, as befits a city with a long bullfighting tradition, the birthplace of famous bullfighters. Cordoba is a first-class bullring, as befits a city with a long bullfighting tradition, the birthplace of famous bullfighters, and whose inhabitants gladly attend the informal gatherings organised in the taverns of the Barrio de Santa Marina. In addition to these spontaneous gatherings, there are scheduled events that take place in different places such as the Círculo de la Amistad (Friendship Circle) or the Bullfighting Museum.
The Plaza de Toros de los Califas is named after the five caliphs of bullfighting. Rafael Guerra “Guerrita”, Rafael González “Machaquito”, Manuel Rodríguez “Manolete” and Manuel Benítez “El Cordobés”. The title of “Caliph” was invented by Mariano de Cavia to name the great matadors of the province of Cordoba.
The inauguration took place on 9 May 1965 with a bullfight in aid of the Spanish Society Against Cancer with bulls by Carlos Núñez for Manuel Benítez “El Cordobés”, José María Montilla and Gabriel de la Haba “Zurito”. El Cordobés was injured in one arm.
Architecture and design of the Coso de Los Califas
The building of the Cordoba Bullring lacks great ornamental decorations, the only highlights are the ironwork fitted between two stone columns and the bars of its main door, as well as the pillars of its reinforced concrete structure, which were formed with special moulds, provide a minimal decorative touch.
Its interior offers a spectacular panoramic view with a double covered grandstand and 23 rows in the seating area installed at the precise angle to the horizontal plane to offer a perfect view of the bullring. The ring has a diameter of 51 metres.
The entire design of the bullring is designed to achieve the functionality of the show, and it also has the best complementary facilities, such as a state-of-the-art operating theatre within the infirmary staffed by a qualified team of professionals.
In the patio de cuadrillas is located the chapel with an image of “La Milagrosa”, the virgin is visited by all the bullfighters before the show to pray for luck in their afternoon, as they say, in the bullfighting world there are no atheist bullfighters, only superstitious ones.
The bullring has an assembly hall prepared for press conferences, lectures and cultural activities. Various rooms for exhibitions
When will the Cordoba Fair 2024 be held?
The Feria de Nuestra Señora de La Salud will be held from 25 May to 1 June 2024. You will be able to enjoy horseback riding, Sevillanas, wine and tapas in the “casetas” which are open to the public, unlike other cities which are private.
The bullfighting programme, still to be confirmed, will include 4 bullfights, one of them with young bulls and as usual with the management company of the bullring “Lances de Futuro” we will see again the best bullfighters of the bullfighting ladder perform their walk through the arena.
Don’t wait any longer and organise your getaway to Cordoba. Enjoy an exciting weekend, you will be immersed in the history of the caliphate of Cordoba.
On 10 May 2017, the anniversary of the death of "Manolete" - IV Caliph of Bullfighting in Cordoba, was commemorated with a massive exhibition.
INTERESTING FACTS The Cordoba Bullring in numbers
First Category
Capacity
Subscribers
Bullfights per year
Bullfighting of steers per year
Buy your tickets for the Los Califas Bullring in Cordoba
Don’t miss the greatness and history of this bullring, buy your tickets for the bullring of Los Califas in Servitoro. We recommend that you do not leave it to the last minute, the posters full of figures make the bullring is filled to capacity.
Servitoro is the official ticket office for the Cordoba bullring in Andalusia, where you can book your tickets easily, quickly and securely through our website, without having to travel, comfortably from your home, without the usual long queues and waiting at the box office.
We send the tickets in PDF format to your email.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, all children over 4 years old pay the adult ticket price.
Access with food depends on the organiser of the show. Before entering the bullring with food, you must check with the ticket office at the bullring. In sevilla, you can bring a small snack from home.
The organisers reserve all image and intellectual property rights of the show. It is forbidden to film or take photos (with or without flash) during the bullfight.
The venue opens 2 hours before the show to avoid crowds so you can find your seat in peace and quiet.
Spectators will not be allowed to enter or leave their seats during the bullfight. Between bulls there is a short break, people can get up and leave their seats.
The tickets are in PDF format, you have to print the tickets directly at home. The PDF file will be sent to the email address you used to make the purchase.
The Organisers reserve the right to refuse entry to the venue to any User who does not provide their ticket in physical format (paper ticket).
Imágenes: FIT Tauromaquia
