La Monumental

La Monumental is a historic bullring in Barcelona’s Eixample district, known for its ornate façade and early 20th-century architecture. It was one of the city’s principal arenas for bullfighting until the regional ban on the practice.

The building’s exterior features decorative elements that blend styles from the period of its construction, and the enclosed arena and seating area are visible on guided visits or during cultural events. Since the end of regular bullfighting, the venue has been used for concerts, exhibitions and public events while retaining its distinctive circular plan.

Opened in the early 20th century as a major urban bullring, the site hosted bullfights for decades until Catalonia moved to ban the practice, after which the arena’s programming changed to non-bullfighting cultural uses.

Set in Barcelona’s central Eixample district, La Monumental is readily reachable by metro and bus and lies within walking distance of Plaça de les Glòries and other central neighbourhoods.

• Current use: Bullfighting was banned in Catalonia in 2010 and the venue has been repurposed for concerts, circuses and events since regular bullfighting stopped.
• Access: Located in the Eixample district of Barcelona, the site is within walking distance of central transport hubs and tram lines.

What to See #

• Arena: The bullring arena and circular seating area built in the early 20th century, which is used today for cultural events after bullfighting ended in Catalonia.
• Event and exhibition spaces: A small bullfighting museum and event spaces that document the site's history and host exhibitions and concerts.