The bullring of Tangier also known as the Plaza de Toros or the place des arenes, will undergo rehabilitation and renovation works to the tune of MAD 50 million ($5.6 million).
Three Moroccan architects, Hicham Khattabi, Jaouad Khattabi, and Younes Diouri, won the renovation bid contract for the Plaza de Toros square. A congratulatory ceremony was held for them in the headquarters of the Wilaya of Tangier on Thursday, April 29th, 2021. Their task is to monitor and ensure that restoration and rehabilitation will be identical to the original design.
Planned as a space for economic, cultural, and artistic revitalization, Tangier’s Plaza de Toros will feature an open-air viewing space for art exhibitions, an exhibition hall, a 7,000-seat theater, restaurants, and cultural stores. It will also see the construction of a public square capable of hosting 120 people, parking, and a fountain.
The rehabilitation work is a result of a partnership agreement between the Wilaya of Tangier, the regional council of Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima, the Agency for the Promotion and Development of the Northern Regions, and the Tangier’s Community.
Between the road of Tetouan and the Avenue Yacoub El Mansour, lies the bullring. Built during the ’40s by the Spaniards, this arena was opened on August 27, 1950 and held until the independence of Morocco in 1956, the arena was then turned into a place for artistic shows until 1970 before being abandoned for many years.
Built during the 1940s by the Spaniards, this arena opened on August 27, 1950. It was inaugurated in 1960 by the Spanish. Plaza de Toros has the ability to carry 13.013 seats, and remains an important part of the historical heritage for Tangerois. Bullfights were held until the Independence of Morocco, since which the plaza has been abandoned. Plaza de Toros was classified as a historical monument in 2016.