Oldest - Theatre in Barcelona - Spain
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denben
N 41° 22.719 E 002° 10.519
31T E 431041 N 4581120
Teatro Principal is the oldest theatre in Barcelona, founded in 1579, built in 1601 and rebuilt several times, mainly in 1788 and again in 1848.
Waymark Code: WMQKXF
Location: Cataluña, Spain
Date Posted: 02/29/2016
Views: 12
The theatre, created in 1603, was the first theatre built in Barcelona. It was originally named “Teatre de la Santa Creu”.
The theatre was founded on “la Rambla de Barcelona” thanks to the donation of a plot of land and houses by the most important hospital in the city at that time: “Hospital de la Santa Cruz”. The benefits from the representations would enable the Hospital to cover some of its costs. In order to increase these benefits, Felipe II granted the theatre the privilege of exclusivity of all representations in the city.
The original building had a wooden “corral de comedias” (popular outdoor theatre set up in the inner patio of a block) and was rebuilt several times.
The theatre got extended and later built in stone. The new and more sumptuous theatre was inaugurated in 1788. In 1840 it received the name of “Teatre Principal”, which has been kept since then. The name was changed due to the fact that a new theatre was being built in the city, “El Gran Teatre Liceu” and in an attempt to stress that Teatre Principal was Barcelona's original or main theatre.
During the last quarter of XIX century and at the beginnings of XX century the theatre suffered damages and ownership was passed on to a private owner. In 1924 and 1933 the theatre suffered two fires, the last one destroying the whole interior.
When the owners remodeled it they left aside the Italian structure and built a modern room, formed by an orchestra section and one upper floor that covered half of the orchestra section. The structure has remained the same since its last refurbishment.
During Franco's dictatorship, the building was divided into a cinema, a billiard hall, a fronton court and was also home to the famous risqué cabaret venue, the Cúpula Venus, before closing its doors in 2006.
The theatre has been reopened in 2013 as a space dedicated to performing arts. It has been completely renovated by the architects German and Salvador Llobet and totally decorated by Carlos Caballero without losing its historical essence.
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