Teatro Marquina

Teatre Auditori del Mercat Vell is Ripollet's municipal theatre and concert hall, tucked into a small town that sits right on the edge of Barcelona's metropolitan area. The name itself gives away the building's past: for most of the twentieth century this was the town's old food market, long before anyone thought of staging plays or concerts here.

Why does a theatre carry the name of an old market?

The building went up in 1932, during Spain's Second Republic, designed in an Eclectic style by architect Joan B. Serra Martínez as Ripollet's municipal food market. Alongside the Anselm Clavé school built around the same period, it was one of the town council's flagship projects of the era, signalling the ambitions of a growing community. The market kept running in that role until the turn of 1982-83, when trading moved to a new site on Rambla de Sant Esteve, leaving the old building without a clear purpose.

What makes the building itself distinctive?

Its layout sets it apart from ordinary market halls: two perpendicular naves crossing to form a cross-shaped floor plan, topped with a double-pitched roof. That structure, originally built to house market stalls, later proved flexible enough to be reworked into a proper auditorium with barely any change to its basic shape.

When did it become a theatre?

After sitting empty for over a decade, the town council converted the former market into a performance venue, and it reopened to the public as a theatre and auditorium in 1994. That gave Ripollet, which had lacked anything comparable before, a permanent home for live performance.

What happened in 2013?

Twenty years after reopening, the venue took on its current official name, Teatre Auditori del Mercat Vell. The same year saw the inauguration of its entrance hall, named "L'Espai Domenec Torras" in honour of a local figure closely tied to the development of theatre in the town — a moment that cemented the building's role as Ripollet's cultural centre.

Where is it, and how do you get there?

The theatre sits in Ripollet itself, a town within Barcelona's metropolitan area, in the Vallès Occidental district. Its proximity to the Catalan capital means a visit can easily be combined with sightseeing in Barcelona or nearby towns in the same urban belt.

Who is this venue for?

First and foremost, it's a stage for the local community — hosting concerts, plays and cultural events organised by the town council and local associations. For visitors curious about everyday cultural life beyond Barcelona's main tourist circuit, it's a neat example of how a piece of old municipal infrastructure, a market hall, found an entirely new purpose as a home for the performing arts.

Frequently asked questions

What was the building originally used for? It was Ripollet's municipal food market, built in 1932.

Who designed the building? Architect Joan B. Serra Martínez, in an Eclectic style.

When did it open as a theatre? In 1994, after the market relocated at the turn of 1982-83.

Why is it called "Mercat Vell"? Catalan for "old market" — a reference to the building's original use.

Where is Ripollet located? In Barcelona's metropolitan area, in the Vallès Occidental district.