Plaza de Toros
By Saskia Mier
The Plaza de Toros de la Merced (bullring) was built from 1901-1902 and commissioned by architect, Trinidad Gallego Díaz, who was inspired by the bullring in Madrid, known as "the one on Calle Aragon".
An initial bullring, Plaza de Toros de La Merced (Las Colonias),had a capacity for eight thousand spectators and was built with an estimated 150,000 pesetas. The works began in the spring of 1902, with 45 builders and 120 workmen at a rate of between eight and ten thousand bricks a day. It was inaugurated on 5 September 1902 with a bullfight with bulls from Miguel Báez Quintero "Litri" and Rafael González Machaquito.
With time, the bullfighting environment lost popularity and as a consequence, the bullring was closed and abandoned, whilst the chemical industry grew in the city.
Far from the first bullring, the second bullring, Plaza de Toros Monumental de Huelva was built in front of the Ría de Huelva with a capacity for 14,000 spectators and inaugurated on 2 August 2 1968. The bullfight was composed of Miguel Báez Espuny "Litri", Ángel Teruel and Manuel Benítez "El Cordobés" with bulls from Celestino Cuadri. Serious structural damage was found in the bullring that caused its closure in 1982. After several years being closed and declared a ruin, the Plaza de Toros Monumental de Huelva was demolished on 1 June 1997.
It was suggested to the council by José Luis Pereda García, that the initial bullring Plaza de Toros de la Merced (Las Colonias) was restored to its previous use, and with help of then Mayor José Antonio Marín Rite, the restoration took only nine months. The re-inauguration took place on 29 July 1984 with bullfighters, Miguel Báez Espuny "Litri", Curro Romero and Pepe Luis Vázquez.
Since then, it has become one of the reference areas in all of Andalusia and has experienced the best bullfighting of the last thirty years.
Avenida de Cristóbal Colón
Tel: 959 28 15 00
