The neighbourhood takes its popular name from the Plaza de Toros, nicknamed "la Monumental del Frascuelo". The tourist board officially names this area "Triunfo-Arenas"; Beiro is the name of the wider municipal administrative district in which the Plaza de Toros sits.
History & origins
The area developed after the Reconquista, when Granada expanded beyond its medieval Moorish walls; the railway station was also built here around this time. The official source describes the neighbourhood as "a very lively part of the city", with a strong tapas culture.
Heritage & architecture
Inaugurated in 1928, Granada's bullring is the work of architect José de Aguilar, in a neo-Mudéjar style. It can hold more than 14,000 spectators, making it one of Spain's ten largest. The tabernacle of the Carthusian Monastery (Cartuja) is described as "probably one of the finest examples of Spanish baroque art". The Puerta de Elvira, the Hospital Real and the church of San Ildefonso bear witness to the post-Reconquista expansion period.
Plaza de Toros
1928 bullringJosé de Aguilar, neo-Mudéjar style, more than 14,000 seats.
Cartuja Monastery
Baroque tabernacleOne of the finest examples of its kind in Spain.
Puerta de Elvira
City gateA medieval Moorish-era remnant.
Hospital Real
Historic buildingFrom the post-Reconquista expansion period.
Church of San Ildefonso
Religious buildingCrypt of Fray Leopoldo
Near the Jardines del TriunfoGranada's second most visited pilgrimage site after the Alhambra.
Former Faculty of Medicine
University buildingUniversity of Granada.
Culture & living traditions
The Capuchin friar Fray Leopoldo (1864-1956) lived and worked in Granada from 1914 until his death, a figure associated with the neighbourhood. His crypt, near the Jardines del Triunfo, is today Granada's second most visited pilgrimage site after the Alhambra. A strong tapas culture animates the streets around the Plaza de Toros, one of the liveliest areas of the city.
Suggested itinerary
Morning · 9am–12pm: Post-Reconquista remnants
Puerta de Elvira, Hospital Real, the church of San Ildefonso.
Afternoon · 12pm–4pm: Art and religion
Cartuja Monastery, lunch in the neighbourhood.
Evening · 4pm onwards: Bullring and tapas
Plaza de Toros, a tapas crawl around the bullring.
Suggested itinerary, not field-tested.
Frequently asked questions
Why is this neighbourhood called "Plaza de Toros" and not "Beiro"?
The tourist board officially names this area "Triunfo-Arenas"; Beiro is the name of the wider administrative district.
When was Granada's bullring built?
In 1928, by architect José de Aguilar, in neo-Mudéjar style, with more than 14,000 seats.
Is Granada's bullring among the largest in Spain?
Yes, among the ten largest in the country according to the available research.
What's worth seeing near the Plaza de Toros?
The Cartuja Monastery, the Puerta de Elvira, the Hospital Real and the church of San Ildefonso.
Is this neighbourhood lively outside bullfight days?
Yes, it's described as one of the liveliest areas of the city, driven by its tapas culture.
What is the crypt of Fray Leopoldo?
A place of pilgrimage dedicated to the Capuchin friar Fray Leopoldo (1864-1956), near the Jardines del Triunfo, Granada's second most visited site after the Alhambra.
