Les Arènes
In 1289, a decree by the top magistrates in Bayonne enshrined the rules of encierro, the running of the bulls and cows through the city’s streets. The resulting text is the oldest written bullfighting document in the world, and remains an authoritative account of this tradition.
In 1757, Bayonne became France’s first municipality to recognise the need to host its bullfighting events in an enclosed area, thereby presaging the bullrings – arènes – that are commonplace today.
In its present form, with a capacity for over 10,000 spectators, the arena is the largest of its kind in South-West France. Opened in 1893 and boasting neo-Moorish architecture befitting the trends of the day, it is a key piece of municipal heritage.
Photo credit : http://www.bayonne.fr/culture-et-loisirs/corridas/1769-les-arenes-de-bayonne.html