You learn something every day: Havana Bullfighting

[El Presidente]

 

I can across the below which piqued my interest.  I love learning something new. 

 

 

I had no idea there was serious bullfighting in Havana so I dug a little deeper. 

 

 

From the Eternal Havana Community

https://www.facebook.com/193909010794734/posts/433956203456679/

 

BULLRINGS OF HAVANA, CUBA.

The cultural tradition of bullfighting in Cuba continued without interruption for four centuries -from 1514 to 1898-, one year after the sinking of the North American battleship Maine in the port of Havana. Precisely the crew of the Maine attended one of those runs. But on that date, Brigadier General Adna R. Chafee, Chief of the General Staff of the US Occupation Force, decreed on October 10, 1899, the absolute prohibition of bullfighting on the island.

However, with the birth of the Republic of Cuba, in 1902, and once the occupation ended, it seemed that the new winds would bring new aromas of freedom and with it, the reestablishment of bullfights. But nothing could be further from reality, since this prohibition was maintained with all successive governments, although on sporadic occasions a bullfight was held, as is the case with the festivities held in 1941.

The first bullring of which reference is had was the one known as the Aserradero y Millo del Tío Blas, erected in Havana in 1769, located between the Monte and Arsenal roads, whose place was later called “Trash”, very close to the current Central Railway Station.

The second bullring was built in 1796, on the site where Monte and Egido streets intersect today. This was followed, in 1818, by the third bullring, located at the back of the Cabrera inn, on the corner of Águila Street, and another, the fourth, which was in service from 1825 to 1836, in front of the famous café de Marte and Bellona, where the Calzada del Monte joined Amistad Street, where the National Capitol was later built.

Until the ultramarine town of Regla, what today is a neighborhood of the capital, located precisely in the east of the bay of Havana, where the very long walk of the Malecon ends - tuvosu bullring, the fifth built, which was in service from 1842 to 1855, whose construction required express authorization from the Havana City Council. It stood behind the local parish, perhaps with the secret intention of saving the souls of those who had the misfortune of suffering some mortal goring.

The sixth bullring of the capital was built in 1853, the so-called “Plaza de Toros de Belascoaín”, because it is located on Belascoaín street, between Virtudes and Concordia streets, next to the then Casa de la Beneficencia, also known as "Of Havana", for its importance, and that it remained active until in 1897 a terrible fire destroyed it. It had a capacity of just over 6,000 spectators.

A seventh bullring was built in Havana, called “Carlos III”, inaugurated by the Murcian bullfighter Juan Ruiz Lagartija. This seventh Plaza de Toros, also known as de la Infanta, since it was the name of the street where it was built in 1885, and which, together with the second of Regla, remained active until 1898.

The last time that there is news of a bullfight in Cuba occurred on Sunday, August 31, 1947. The place chosen was the then young Gran Stadium del Cerro and more than 30 thousand attendees witnessed the demonstrations of the Mexican matadors Silverio Pérez and Fermín Espinosa, also known as “Armillita”.

This was a different show because the bullfighters could not stick flags to the animals, much less kill them. Only then did the authorities accept that the bullfight should take place.

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