Teatre Municipal El Jardí

Teatre Municipal El Jardí is a historic theatre-and-cinema building in Figueres, in the Girona province of Catalonia, and one of the city's oldest surviving cultural venues.

When was the building built?

Construction dates back to 1914, designed by architect Llorenç Ros i Costa. The project was driven by local businessman Pau Pagès, who in 1915 asked the Figueres town council for permission to build a theatre-cinema on a plot then known as Horta de Gayolà — today's plaça Josep Pla, right in the heart of the city.

The venue, originally named Teatre Cinema El Jardí, opened on 29 April 1916 during the Fires i Festes de Santa Creu, the city's traditional spring fair. The opening night featured the Liceu company from Barcelona performing the opera "La Gioconda," instantly establishing the new hall as Figueres' leading stage.

What does the building look like?

The facade is notable for its central balustraded balcony and decorative reliefs combining theatrical, floral and animal motifs. Two small domes crown the corners of the building, a distinctive touch rarely found on other theatres along this stretch of the Costa Brava.

How did the theatre shape local cultural life?

Through the 1920s, El Jardí was the busiest entertainment venue in Figueres, hosting theatre, opera, zarzuela and film screenings side by side. The balance shifted in the 1950s and 1960s, when cinema screenings came to dominate the programme — a boom that also spurred the opening of two further cinemas in the city, the Juncària and the Las Vegas.

Why is it called "Teatre Municipal" today?

The turning point came when the Figueres town council purchased the building outright. Since 1983 it has operated as the city's municipal theatre, and public ownership has allowed for a steady, year-round schedule of plays, concerts and festivals that continues today.

Is it worth visiting?

For travellers exploring Figueres — best known as Salvador Dalí's home town — the theatre offers a quieter cultural detour away from the Dalí museum crowds. Its more-than-century-old walls have hosted opera, silent film, talkies and modern theatre alike, a small but telling record of how entertainment in a Catalan provincial town evolved across the 20th century.

Frequently asked questions

When did Teatre Municipal El Jardí open? It opened on 29 April 1916, during the Fires i Festes de Santa Creu, with a performance of the opera "La Gioconda" by the Liceu company.

Who designed the building? The architect was Llorenç Ros i Costa; the project was financed by businessman Pau Pagès.

Since when has it been a municipal theatre? Since 1983, when the Figueres town council bought the building from its private owners.

Did it only stage theatre performances? No — it began as a theatre-cinema, screening films and hosting opera and zarzuela as well as plays; cinema dominated its programme through the 1950s and 1960s.

Where is the theatre located? On plaça Josep Pla in the centre of Figueres, in the province of Girona, Catalonia.