European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - February 20, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Three Moto Ryks looking much like modernized bulls rest against the outside Wall of bullring. Bullish Market Spanish town displays its fighting history part of the Kondi bullring is a museum where costumes and trophies draw tourists. Story and photos by Tony Nauroth Nurnberg Bureau the annual running of the bulls in the Northern Spanish City of Pamplona gets All the attention from the Media. Author Ernest Hemmingway did his part to put Pamplona on the world map. But the andalusian City of Ronda and its environs is touted As the Cradle of modern Day bullfighting and the Rondanina ring is the second oldest in Spain. Built in 1784, the ring gives the appearance of an elegant birthday cake. The delicately pointed architectural embellishments spaced evenly at the top of the outside Wall give it a fragile look. Decorative double Arches House the two tiered gallery the bleachers Section if it were a baseball Diamond which circles the fighting Field like a palatial facade. The Arches Are supported by 176 tuscan columns. The inside diameter is More than half the length of a football Field. A magnificent baroque Entrance seems out of place when compared with the Bare icing White exterior Walls but it combines beautifully with the gallery inside. And above this archway is a wrought Iron railing with decorative bullfighting motifs above it. Along with the birth of the bullring came the birth of the Romero dynasty a Long and illustrious family line which founded the Ronda school of bullfighting which developed Many techniques used in today s rings allo of the the Ronda ring is open to the Public. It s More of a museum than an Active ring. Tourists roam around the sawdust Field their imaginations running wild. Pictures Are a must and Many visitors pull off a jacket or shawl wave it in front of a relative s Lens and yell Ole Ole with unabashed enthusiasm. One Section of the ring s Interior is preserved As a museum. Bulls head trophies of the finest performing animals of the past line one Wall and the suits of the most famous matadors hang in careful folds inside Glass cases. Brightly coloured posters of fighters in rambo esque poses lend an unreal romantic air to the Stark White Walls. A woman from great Britain asked the curator in All seriousness Why Only the Heads of the losing bulls Are displayed. Where Are the Heads of the matadors she asked. The curator laughed. The sport is not that Barbaric he said with obvious displeasure. In Ronda where bullfighting is a deeply loved tradition it s not a Good idea to rail against the seeming cruelty of bullfighting. The Ronda ring is open most Days until 6 . Admission to both the ring and museum is 160 pesetas about $1. 6 stripes Magazine february a 1986