Jovellanos Theater of Gijón, Asturias. Asturias Museums

Jovellanos Theater on the map

Latitude: 43.5393867 Length: -5.6617031
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The Jovellanos Theatre is Gijón's premier cultural landmark. Located in the heart of the city , on the bustling Paseo de Begoña, it presents an eclectic architectural style, in keeping with the surrounding buildings but featuring an unusual façade. The theatre's exterior evokes its primarily theatrical role, with pilasters decorated with allegorical trophies, blind stained-glass windows, arches, and an upper gallery with a wide, molded cornice.

Inside, the most diverse cultural program unfolds annually; the most extensive in the entire Principality . We're talking about one of the best-equipped public concert halls in Spain, considered one of those offering the most programming throughout the year, with a greater number of shows and fewer days of closure . You might find yourself attending a performance of the finest classical music, a rock or gospel concert, a traditional play, the most avant-garde stage production, or a puppet show. Dance, opera, ballet, stand-up comedy, high-level discussions, and film screenings are also featured, as it is the main venue for the Gijón International Film Festival in November.

Its capacity, around 1200 seats , makes it a first-rate venue capable of accommodating the public's expectations for major cultural events. The Teatro Jovellanos' activities are primarily held in this municipal theater, although for certain larger events it also organizes performances in other venues around the city : the Plaza de Toros (bullring), the Palacio de los Deportes (sports palace), the Hipódromo de las Mestas (Las Mestas racetrack), and the El Molinón stadium. It is therefore a highly dynamic municipal entity, connected in one way or another to practically all the free recreational activities taking place throughout the city, including a parallel program during Gijón's main festivals such as Christmas, Antroxu (Carnival), and Semana Grande (Big Week), when the city's patron saint festivities are celebrated.

In its role of promoting popular festivals, it also grants subsidies to neighborhoods and parishes for the organization of their own celebrations, and its annual budget is gradually approaching 10 million euros.

This iconic theater was inaugurated in July 1899 , under the name Teatro Dindurra . Its construction responded to the needs of a growing town and followed the design principles of the eminent architect Mariano Marín. It was built upon the foundations of a 12th-century Renaissance building. The theater was later destroyed by a bomb and rebuilt in 1937 , preserving the grand arches of the original façade, expanding it, and adding another floor. It was then renamed Teatro Jovellanos.

In 1970 it passed into the hands of the City Council, being rehabilitated to equip it with the most modern technologies. In 1995 was reopened after a deep rehabilitation and celebrated its 1er centennial in 1999 with a brilliant concert by the tenor Alfredo Kraus.

Its latest and most significant renovation restored its physical appearance while simultaneously enhancing the effectiveness of the public space. Located in the heart of the revamped Begoña promenade and park, alongside its close ally Café Dindurra, the Jovellanos Theatre opens its doors almost daily, offering a new and enjoyable experience for the city's residents.

Its stage, measuring over 100 square meters, has hosted the most prominent names in 20th-century popular culture , and in the 21st century it continues to build its unique history of events, which to this day remains incessant.

Every year in November, the Jovellanos Theatre hosts one of the most special film festivals in Spain, the Gijón International Film Festival.