São Luiz Municipal Theatre

This theatre was inaugurated in 1894 as Dona Amélia Theatre, in honour of the Portuguese crown and in appreciation for the donation of land by the House of Bragança. With the Republican revolution, in 1910, it becomes the República Theatre, even though it remains in the same hands. In 1914, a fire destroys most of the building and Tertuliano Lacerda Marques is responsible for the reconstruction project that re-opens the theatre two years later. It becomes the property of the Ortigão Ramos family, in 1917, which, a year later, renames it São Luiz Theatre, an homage to the Viscount of São Luiz de Braga, co-owner of the theatre by the time of its foundation. From 1828 onwards, the building operates as a cinema — called São Luiz cinema, decorated by Leitão de Barros — premièring some of the most important films of its day. In 1971, the Municipality of Lisbon acquires the building, carrying out an extensive intervention, in 1999, and reopening its doors three years later, with the objective of restoring a living and exciting theatre back to the city.