Denver- The Historic Plaza del Toros in Tangier, a relic of the cultural blend of Morocco and Spain, is being repurposed as a modern entertainment center.
Architects from a local studio announced their intentions to revitalize the old landmark to serve a modern purpose in the northern Moroccan city.
“Our reconversion project is a balance between the architectural elements to reveal, underline, and [add] some contemporary notes induced by the new program, without in any way altering the spirit of the place,” said Younes Diouri, one of the lead architects.
Originally constructed in 1950, Tangier’s Plaza del Toros was a symbol of Spanish cultural influence in the Moroccan city during the mid 20th century. Spanish architect Francisco Rodriguez-Alvarez Lopez designed the arena and construction of the facility took just fourteen months to complete.
After its completion, the Plaza del Toro could seat a staggering 13,000 spectators during bullfighting events.
Bullfighting was a historic Spanish pastime that drew in thousands of spectators to watch a dangerous, brutal one-on-one between a trained fighter, known as a Matador, and an aggressive.
The ring in Tangier hosted bullfights for six years before fights stopped after Morocco’s independence. However, bullfighting returned to the arena for a short period fourteen years later.
Modern attitudes towards bullfighting have led to the banning of what many consider a cruel and abusive sport due to the murder of bulls in the arena.
Despite widespread calls for the abandonment of matador fighting, the sport remains legal in many Spanish cities and Portuguese cities, as well as in many countries in Latin America.
Although no longer a venue for matador events, the Tangier arena still holds significant cultural value for residents of the city. In 2016, the ring was declared a national historical monument due to its cultural significance.
Now, Moroccan architects hope to revitalize the arena for a new purpose while also preserving the city’s noteworthy past.
“It was about giving back its letters of nobility to a building already steeped in history,” Diouri stated.
