La Plaza de toros de Ronda, Andalusia, Spain

Lena sent this postcard of the Plaza de toros de Ronda (18 March 2014).  This bullring is the oldest bullring in Spain and is one of the most visited bullfighting sites. It was inaugurated in 1785.

Where is Ronda?

Ronda is a city in the Spanish province of  Málaga.  It is located about 100 kilometres (62 mi) west of the city of Málaga, within the autonomous community of Andalusia. The Ronda bullright is under the jurisdiction of the Real Maestranzas de Caballería de Ronda.

What is a maestranza de caballería?

Maestranzas de caballería (literally translated as cavalry armories) were noble guilds created by the Spanish Crown, with the aim of giving the nobility practice in horsemanship and the use of weapons. In the sixteenth century, the caballería or cavalry, was the typical military branch for nobles to follow, but the aforementioned skills had become less common as the Spanish aristocracy converted into a class of courtiers. These noble institutions created a dedicated cavalry corps that was directly funded by its members. The participating nobles, or maestrantes, organized themselves under the advocacy of a holy patron and took the internal form of a fraternity.

On August 3, 1573, the nobility of Ronda created the Hermandad del Santo Espíritu under the advocacy of Nuestra Señora de Gracia ('Our Lady of Grace'), which would later become the Real Maestranza de Caballería de Ronda.

This postcard shows a view of the Bullring from the pilaster seats.  Underneath the Bullring's seats lies the Bullfighting Museum. Different artistic and historical pieces illustrate the Maestranza's long history as well as other aspects of chivalry and nobility such as the Collection of Antique Firearms and the Royal Harness Collection of the House of Orleans.