Shield for the Balcony of the Council, before being put in place.
Next to it, the sculptor Augusto Franzi. J. Sánchez, 1881. Private collection.
The last major piece of work done by Juan Talavera consisted of finishing the upper arcade with the construction of the forty balconies that were lacking, twenty on each side of the bullpen area. Iron was used for the first time in this edifice. Important improvements were made to the building and its annexes: an entrance for the confinement of the bulls without their needing to cross the arena; an extensive stable, a tack room, the infirmary, the chapel and the bullfighters’ resting room; the slaughterhouse was improved, new storerooms were made under the front row of seats, and also several places for the sale of tickets. Plans were made to decorate the bullring. With this intervention, the construction of the bullring was complete.
