Dona Maria II National Theatre

Teatro Nacional Dona María II

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The National Theatre was inaugurated on 13 April 1846 during the 27th birthday celebrations of Queen Mary II (1819-1853), which is why the theatre is named after her.

However, the history of the National Theatre began ten years before its inauguration at a time of political and cultural changes following the revolution of 9 September 1836. It was a time when Europe was living in a romantic atmosphere and the writer and politician Almeida Garret took it upon himself to reflect on Portuguese theatre in global terms as a political issue strictly linked to the country’s own independence after the French invasions and the liberal wars.

Between 1836, the official year of the theatre’s creation, and 1846, the year of its inauguration, the existing and already decrepit Teatro da Rua dos Condes was the temporary Teatro Nacional. After much controversy, the ruins of the Palácio dos Estaús, the former seat of the Inquisition destroyed by fire in 1836, were chosen as the definitive location for the National Theatre by the Italian architect Fortunato Lodi. His decision was widely criticised and it was only in 1842 that Almeida Garret was able to secure the start of construction work.

The National Theatre was consumed by fire in 1964 and all that remained were its outer walls and façade. The neoclassical building as we know it was completely rebuilt and reopened in 1978.

ADDRESS:Plaza D. Pedro IV1100-201 LisboaWeb: https://www.tndm.pt/Tel: 213 250 800

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