Tendidos

Tendidos is a term used primarily in the context of bullrings (plazas de toros) to refer to a block or section of seating around the arena. A tendido designates a space where spectators sit during a corrida or other events. The seating is typically organized into tendidos, which are described by their location, view, and amenities. Tickets are usually sold per tendido and may specify the tendido, fila (row), and asiento (seat).

A common distinction within tendidos is between tendidos de sombra (shaded) and tendidos de sol (sun). Shade available to a given tendido depends on the arena’s architecture and the time of day, and it often influences price and demand. In many plazas, tendidos are numbered or named by sector, and the assignment of seats follows these divisions.

The term tendido derives from a sense of something extended or stretched out, reflecting how these seating blocks run around the arena. While its main use is in bullfighting, the concept exists in other contexts as a general Spanish noun for an extended row or line of seats or objects, though the bullfighting sense is the most widely recognized in everyday usage.

In modern practice, tendidos continue to function as the principal public seating areas in many plazas de toros in Spain and various Latin American countries. The language surrounding tickets and seating arrangements remains a practical part of event organization and spectator experience.