The rehabilitated fronton Beti – Jai in Madrid… Spectacular!
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After its inauguration in 1894, the Beti Jai in Madrid functioned as a fronton until 1918. From 1919 onwards, it was used for various purposes such as car repair shop, police station, prison, plaster and papier-mâché workshop, among others. After falling into disuse, Madrid City Council has recently refurbished it and it can now be visited by appointment.
Thanks to the popularity of the game of pelota at the end of the 19th century, a pelota court was built in Madrid to host the matches of this sport. Joaquín Rucoba, author of the Arriaga theatre and the Bilbao Town Hall, the bullring and the Alfonso XII market in Malaga, among others, was commissioned to build it in 1893, as he had also built another similar fronton in San Sebastián.
4,000 spectators
The works were completed the following year, and it was inaugurated on 29 April 1894 in the heart of the Chamberí district. With a capacity for 4,000 spectators, it ceased to function in 1919, and pavilions were built in the open-air arena to house cars.
National Monument
The Beti-Jai turned 125 years old in 2019. After its inauguration in 1894, it was used as a pelota court until 1918. From 1919 onwards, it was used for various purposes, such as a car workshop, police station, prison, plaster and papier-mâché workshop, among others.
It was declared a national monument in 1991 and an Asset of Cultural Interest in 2011. In May 2015, the City Council completed the expropriation process and acquired the Beti-Jai, thus initiating the work to recover it without altering its essence.
The rehabilitation works
completed in 2019, after a
painstaking laborious work
The refurbishment work was completed at the beginning of 2019 and during this process a thorough research work has been carried out (using newspapers of the time, library documentary collections, collaboration with associations and experts) so that the new Beti-Jai would be as faithful as possible to the original.
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