Plaza de Toros Real de San Carlos

You have arrived at Plaza de Toros Real de San Carlos! Welcome to the impressive Plaza de Toros Real de San Carlos. An emblematic corner of Colonia del Sacramento where the brick walls and iron structure tell stories of splendor, abandonment and a dazzling rebirth. Take a moment to contemplate it. Its neo-Mudejar style façade immediately evokes the great bullfighting plazas of Spain, such as those in Seville or Madrid. A trip to the past. Its history began at the beginning of the 20th century thanks to the impulse of businessman Nicolás Mihanovich, who conceived this property as part of a large luxury tourist complex. It was built in a record time of just eight months and was inaugurated on January 9, 1910 with a great party. For a couple of years, thousands of spectators—many of them arriving from Buenos Aires aboard steamers that docked very close to here—filled the stands to watch legendary bullfighters brought directly from Spain fight, such as the famous Bombita; However, the bullfighting fever was short-lived: in 1912, President José Batlle y Ordóñez banned bullfighting throughout Uruguay. Although it continued to be used for other shows, over the years the venue fell into neglect and abandonment, becoming a romantic fenced ruin for decades. Its vibrant present. Fortunately, the story…

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