Cine Theatro Gymnásio History

History

This entertainment area started functioning in 1845, when is opened as "cavalinho" (pony), a kind of circus with dancers, harlequins and leaping gymnasts, called the "New Lisbon Gymnasium". In May of 1846, the great Actor Taborda started his career. In 1848, several comic operas, comedies, drama and farces started being performed in this area, which became known as the opera of the poor.

Two years later, the first great Portuguese theatrical satire, called "Lisbon in 1850", premiered in this showroom.

On the 5th of April of 1852, in order to fulfil a desire of Queen Maria II of watching a performance, the Royal Court ordered the demolition of the initial shed, considering it small and not fit for the aristocracy, and the construction of the new "Gymnasium Drama Theatre", opened on the 18th of November of the same year.

In 1868, Júlio César Machado presented the play "Macbeth", starring Actor Taborda and Emília Letroublon, an actress who became famous for having caused scandal all over Lisbon after smoking on this same stage. In January of 1879, the theatre was closed again for complete refurbishment, reopening with the premier of a play by Guerra Junqueiro and Guilherme Azevedo. In 1882, famous French actress Sarah Bernhardt was applauded here!

During the following years, this theatre exhibited regular programmes, including a wide variety of theatre plays. However, in the early hours of the 6th of November of 1921, the building was completely destroyed by a violent and tragic fire.

The fifth "Gymnasium Theatre", a modern and luxury showroom, reopened to the public on the 25th of November of 1925, with the play "The War of Wine", starring glorious actress Palmira Bastos.
Actors such as Alves da Cunha, Amélia Rey Colaço, Maria Matos and Maria Barroso performed in this theatre.

During the 2nd World War, this room was exclusively used for contracted cinema exhibitions; it was never again used for theatre performances.

The theatre was sold as a warehouse after this period; in 1990, Fernanda Pires da Silva, chairman of the Grão Pará Group, acquired the building and is responsible for converting the old building into the current Espaço Chiado.

During reconstruction works, part of the old Fernandine Wall that surrounded the city of Lisbon was found in the rubble, being presently preserved inside the building and having become a symbol of Chiado, together with the theatre.

The building has been used as a multi-function area for talks, press conferences, training sessions, meetings and cultural presentations.



Location:
Espaço Chiado
Rua da Misericórdia, 12-20

Access through Rua da Misericórdia or Rua Nova da Trindade, near the Camões Square.

Subway Station: Baixa-Chiado
Parking facilities for 140 vehicles.