The bullring of El Puerto de Santa María

The bullring of that town had celebrated its first centenary 20 years ago, and it is regarded as one of the oldest Spanish bullrings.

The rich history of that bullring dates from a 5th June 2000, a date in which took place a contest between two famous bullfighters: Antonio Carmona, nicknamed "El Gordito", and Rafael Molina, nicknamed "Lagartijo".

Since then (till nowadays), a great deal of facts have contributed to strengthen the reputation of that bullring. For instance, the one in which "Joselito" was concerned.

The famous sentence expressed by "Joselito".

José Gómez Ortega, nicknamed "Joselito", has been always regarded as a 'master bullfighter'.

A great rivalry between "Joselito" and Juan Belmonte (another master bullfighter) went down in history, as well as that famous sentence, that one day, "Joselito" expressed, after enjoying a bullfight which took place in the enclosure of El Puerto de Santa Maria.

"Joselito" said, "Who has not enjoyed bullfighting in El Puerto he/she does not know what a bullfighting day is". And that sentence has kept written in a mosaic composed with ornamental files, situated on the "Puerta Grande", which is the most important door of the bullring.

An ancient bullfighting tradition.

For example, what happened on 24th June 1771. In the bullring of El Puerto and after making a "quite" (a removal), José Cándido (a bullfighter) was gored, and as a consequence of that unfortunate incident he died two days later.

The third (best bullring) of Spain.

Nowadays, the enclosure of El Puerto is regarded by the bullfighting critics as the third best bullring in Spain (because as the first and the second we find the bullrings of Madrid and Valencia respectively), and one of the best illuminated bullrings (of Spain).