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All Spain Madrid Frontón Beti-Jai
AO Edited

Frontón Beti-Jai

Stuck in the middle of a modern Madrid city block are the remains of a 19th century sports complex.

Madrid, Spain

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Irene
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Frontón Beti-Jai   Igor G.M. on Flickr
Frontón Beti-Jai   Igor G.M. on Flickr
Frontón Beti-Jai   Igor G.M. on Flickr
Reconstructed Old entrance (July 2021)   rosaakapink / Atlas Obscura User
Reconstructed Fronton (July 2021)   rosaakapink / Atlas Obscura User
General view of seating area   apinderinspain / Atlas Obscura User
View of the stands   Luis Morato / Atlas Obscura User
view in 2023   Luis Morato / Atlas Obscura User
WIndow detail in entryway. Although the façade is classic to fit into the neighborhood, part of the building is decorative brick “Neo-Mudejar” style   apinderinspain / Atlas Obscura User
A view of the restored facade of the building   Luis Morato / Atlas Obscura User
Detail of reconstructed roof. The playing area was open-air   apinderinspain / Atlas Obscura User
Panoramic view   Luis Morato / Atlas Obscura User
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As of February 2016, a reconstruction project is currently underway, and a fence seals off the entryway to the public.

Boxed in by buildings on all sides, the ruins of Madrid's Frontón Beti-Jai sports complex is a hidden relic right in the heart of a bustling modern city.

Originally built in 1894, the arena was one of many in the city, all built to answer the demand of a populace who were crazed about sports. Four floors of audience stands were built, curving in a j-shape at one end of the field, able to accommodate around 4,000 spectators. In addition to sports, the arena saw concerts, horse shows, and political rallies among other events.

The fun and games came to an end in 1936 when the a civil war broke out and the former sports complex was converted into a makeshift police station. This would be the last time the space was actually used. By the late 1970s, the inter-urban space had been abandoned. Despite a number of failed rehabilitation proposals over the year, the Frontón Beti-Jai still lies empty today. 

Update as of June 2021:  The reconstruction project is mostly complete, and tours are offered through the city hall. Reservations must be made in advance and space goes quickly. 

Related Tags

Ruins Sports Abandoned

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TheSpaniard

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AAlcazar, Luis Morato, apinderinspain, EricGrundhauser...

  • AAlcazar
  • Luis Morato
  • apinderinspain
  • EricGrundhauser
  • Xavixavir
  • rosaakapink

Published

April 15, 2015

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Sources
  • http://www.rtve.es/alacarta/videos/la-aventura-del-saber/aventura-del-saber-beti-jai/2191572/
  • http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Front%C3%B3n_Beti_Jai
  • http://www.abc.es/madrid/20150126/abci-beti-expropiacion-201501251752.html
  • http://www.telemadrid.es/noticias/madrid/noticia/el-ayuntamiento-de-madrid-rehabilitara-el-historico-fronton-beti-jai
Frontón Beti-Jai
Calle del Marqués del Riscal
Madrid, 28010
Spain
40.430667, -3.691251
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