Teatro Capitólio
Teatro Capitólio is a historic modernist cinema-theatre and live-performance venue in Lisbon's Parque Mayer entertainment district.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
Teatro Capitólio, officially known as Cineteatro Capitólio - Teatro Raul Solnado, is a major historic entertainment venue in Lisbon, Portugal. Located in Parque Mayer, an area long associated with the city's theatres and nightlife, the building was conceived as a multifunctional venue combining theatre, cinema, music-hall entertainment and public social events. It opened on 10 July 1931 and is widely regarded as one of the earliest and most important manifestations of architectural Modernism in Portugal. The building was designed by Luís Cristino da Silva for Sociedade Avenida Parque, Ltda. Its reinforced-concrete structure and unconventional planning deliberately departed from the architectural traditions then dominant in Portugal. Among its notable features were a naturally lit auditorium, a roof terrace intended for outdoor film screenings, and moving ramps that connected the upper levels. Cristino da Silva later modified aspects of the design in 1933 and 1935. Rather than functioning solely as a conventional theatre, the Capitólio was designed to accommodate changing forms of popular culture, including stage shows, films, music, dances and carnival celebrations. The venue became part of Portugal's cultural history through its film and theatre programming. José Leitão de Barros's A Severa, identified as the first Portuguese all-talking sound film, was presented there in 1934. The Capitólio also hosted well-known film screenings and touring stage productions. In 1960, the Brazilian Teatro Popular de Arte, led by Maria Della Costa, presented Bertolt Brecht's The Good Person of Szechwan. It was the only Brecht play permitted in Portugal during the Estado Novo dictatorship, a permission connected to diplomatic considerations involving Brazil. The production generated hostile reactions from some audience members and was withdrawn after several performances. The building also served as a temporary home for theatre companies affected by fires elsewhere in Lisbon. After the D. Maria II National Theatre was damaged by fire in 1964 and the Teatro Avenida suffered a further fire in 1967, the company associated with Amélia Rey Colaço moved to the Capitólio in 1968 and remained until 1970. In 1973, actress Laura Alves assumed direction of the Capitólio theatre company. Following the Carnation Revolution and the abolition of censorship in 1974, the venue entered a more commercially provocative phase, including the Portuguese screening of the pornographic film Deep Throat. During the early 1980s, the upper floor was adapted for a skating rink that could also operate as a discothèque. Poor maintenance and water damage caused the building to deteriorate seriously during the 1980s. Although the Capitólio was formally recognized as a Building of Public Interest in 1983, it eventually closed and remained unavailable for decades. A proposal in the early 2000s to demolish it and replace it with a new performing-arts centre designed by Frank Gehry prompted strong opposition from preservation advocates. The Citizens for Capitólio campaign argued that the original building should be saved, and the structure's inclusion on the 2006 World Monuments Watch list of endangered sites brought additional international attention to its condition. Lisbon City Council approved a restoration framework for the theatre and the wider Parque Mayer district in December 2007. Restoration began in the first quarter of 2010 and sought to repair structural and water-related damage while retaining the building's architectural character. The project reportedly cost approximately 10 million euros, with some funding provided by Casino Lisboa. During the planning process, the venue was also designated in honour of actor Raul Solnado, who had died in 2009. The restored Capitólio reopened in November 2016 with modern stage, sound and projection equipment, improved safety systems and a flexible main hall with approximately 400 movable seats or capacity for up to 1,000 standing spectators. Architect Alberto de Souza Oliveira received the 2016 Valmor and Municipal Architecture Prize for the renovation. Today, the Capitólio remains a Lisbon venue for cultural and entertainment programming while also functioning as an important example of Portuguese architectural heritage.
History
Teatro Capitólio was built in Lisbon's Parque Mayer district as a modern multifunctional cinema-theatre. Sociedade Avenida Parque, Ltda commissioned architect Luís Cristino da Silva to create a venue that would stand apart from Portugal's prevailing architectural conventions. Constructed with reinforced concrete, the building opened on 10 July 1931 and incorporated several unusual features for its time, including a naturally illuminated auditorium, a roof terrace for open-air film screenings and moving ramps connecting different parts of the building. Cristino da Silva made further design changes in 1933 and 1935. The Capitólio was intended to support several forms of entertainment rather than a single artistic discipline. Its programme included theatre, cinema, music-hall acts, dances and carnival events. The venue was used for important film presentations, including A Severa, José Leitão de Barros's 1931 film that was presented there in 1934 and is noted as the first Portuguese all-talking sound film. Its history also reflects the political and cultural pressures of twentieth-century Portugal. In 1960, the Brazilian Teatro Popular de Arte, led by Maria Della Costa, staged Bertolt Brecht's The Good Person of Szechwan. The production was permitted during the Estado Novo dictatorship partly because of Portugal's diplomatic relationship with Brazil. It nonetheless provoked complaints from some spectators, and performances ended after several days. The venue became a temporary base for other theatre organizations when fires damaged Lisbon theatres. The company linked to Amélia Rey Colaço moved there in 1968 after fires had affected both the D. Maria II National Theatre and Teatro Avenida, remaining until 1970. Actress Laura Alves took over direction of the Capitólio theatre company in 1973. After the 1974 Carnation Revolution ended Estado Novo censorship, the venue's cinema programming became more commercially experimental and included the first Portuguese screening of Deep Throat. It later specialized in sexually explicit films. In the early 1980s, a skating rink was installed on the top floor and also operated as a discothèque. The building suffered from inadequate maintenance and serious water damage during the 1980s. Although it was designated a Building of Public Interest in 1983, it closed and remained unused for many years. In the early 2000s, officials proposed replacing it with a new performing-arts complex designed by Frank Gehry. The plan led to a preservation dispute, with the Citizens for Capitólio movement defending the existing structure. The proposal was eventually abandoned, and the building's inclusion on the 2006 World Monuments Watch list helped draw attention to its endangered condition. Lisbon City Council approved restoration of the theatre and Parque Mayer district in December 2007. Work began in early 2010 and focused on repairing water and structural damage, recovering the building's original character and adapting it to contemporary technical and safety requirements. The project cost approximately 10 million euros, with part of the funding supplied by Casino Lisboa. The theatre was also named Teatro Raul Solnado in honour of the Portuguese actor, who died in August 2009. The rehabilitated venue reopened in November 2016. Its main hall has approximately 400 movable seats and can hold as many as 1,000 people standing, allowing it to host varied combinations of theatre, concerts, cinema and other events. Renovation architect Alberto de Souza Oliveira received the 2016 Valmor and Municipal Architecture Prize. The Capitólio now operates both as an active cultural venue and as a protected example of Portuguese Modernist architecture.
- 2016
Reopening after rehabilitation
[1]The restored venue reopened in November with updated stage, sound, projection and safety systems.
- 2010
Restoration work begins
[1]Rehabilitation work began, addressing water damage, structural problems and the need to recover the original design.
- 2007
Restoration approved
[1]Lisbon City Council approved restoration of the theatre and the wider Parque Mayer area.
- 2006
Listed on the World Monuments Watch
[1]The deteriorating building was included on the World Monuments Watch list of endangered sites.
- 1983
Protected as a Building of Public Interest
[1]The theatre received formal heritage recognition as a Building of Public Interest.
- 1973
Laura Alves assumes direction
[1]Actress Laura Alves took over direction of the Capitólio theatre company.
- 1968
Temporary theatre-company residence
[1]The company associated with Amélia Rey Colaço moved to the venue after fires damaged other Lisbon theatres.
- 1960
Brecht production presented
[1]The Brazilian Teatro Popular de Arte presented The Good Person of Szechwan at the Capitólio.
- 1935
Further architectural changes
[1]Additional modifications were made to the original building design.
- 1933
Early design modifications
[1]Architect Luís Cristino da Silva carried out changes to the building's design.
Products and positioning
A landmark Lisbon cultural venue positioned at the intersection of architectural heritage, cinema, theatre, music and flexible contemporary event programming.
Performing-arts venue · 1931
Main auditorium
The Capitólio's principal hall is a flexible performance space restored for contemporary use while retaining the character of the historic building. It has approximately 400 movable seats and can accommodate up to 1,000 standing spectators, allowing different layouts for theatre, concerts, screenings and public events.
Cinema · 1931
Cinema and audiovisual screenings
Cinema was part of the Capitólio's original purpose and remained an important element of its identity. The venue has hosted landmark Portuguese film presentations, popular cinema and later technically updated screen-based programming following its restoration.
Theatre and live entertainment · 1931
Live theatre and variety programming
The venue was designed for theatre, music-hall entertainment and other live performances. Its history includes touring productions, resident theatre companies and culturally significant presentations, while its post-restoration configuration supports contemporary stage and event formats.
Events · 2016
Concerts and cultural events
With updated sound, stage and safety infrastructure, the restored Capitólio functions as a venue for music, cultural gatherings and other public events. Its movable seating and standing capacity make it adaptable to different audience sizes and event formats.
Marketing campaigns
- 2000Citizens for Capitólio preservation campaign
Portugal
A civic preservation effort opposed plans to demolish the historic theatre and replace it with a new performing-arts centre. The campaign argued for restoring the existing Modernist building.
Outcome. The demolition and replacement proposal was abandoned, and the original building was subsequently restored.
Brand decisions
2010
Begin comprehensive rehabilitationOtherBackground
The closed and degraded building had suffered extensive water and structural damage and required adaptation to modern technical and safety standards.
Action taken
Restoration work began with the aim of repairing damage, recovering the original design and upgrading stage, sound, screen and safety systems.
Aftermath
The rehabilitated venue reopened in November 2016 with a flexible auditorium and contemporary production infrastructure.
2009
Adopt the Raul Solnado nameOtherBackground
During the restoration planning period, officials agreed to honour Portuguese actor Raul Solnado, who died in August 2009.
Action taken
The venue received the official designation Cineteatro Capitólio - Teatro Raul Solnado.
Aftermath
The restored theatre reopened under the expanded official name while continuing to be widely known as Teatro Capitólio.
2007
Restore the existing theatre rather than replace itStrategyBackground
After years of deterioration and proposals for a new Frank Gehry-designed performing-arts centre, preservation campaigners and heritage supporters argued that the historic Capitólio should survive.
Action taken
Lisbon City Council approved a restoration plan for the Capitólio and Parque Mayer district.
Aftermath
The theatre underwent major rehabilitation instead of demolition and reopened in 2016.
Reported restoration cost. Approximately 10 million euros (Restoration project beginning in 2010)
Recent events
- 2016
Restored Capitólio reopens[1]
Product launch
After extensive rehabilitation, the venue reopened in November with updated technical equipment, modern safety provisions and a flexible auditorium.
- 2007
Lisbon approves restoration plans[1]
Other
Lisbon City Council approved restoration of the theatre as part of a broader plan for the Parque Mayer district.
- 2006
Teatro Capitólio added to the World Monuments Watch list[1]
Other
The deteriorating building was included among the World Monuments Watch's endangered sites, increasing international visibility for its preservation needs.
- 1974
Post-revolution programming enters a provocative phase[1]
Product launch · Other
After censorship was abolished following the Carnation Revolution, the cinema presented Deep Throat and subsequently became associated with this type of film programming.
- 1968
Capitólio becomes a temporary home for a major theatre company[1]
Other
Following fires affecting other Lisbon theatres, the company associated with Amélia Rey Colaço moved to the Capitólio and stayed until 1970.
- 1960
The Good Person of Szechwan causes controversy at the venue[1]
Other
A Brazilian touring production of Bertolt Brecht's play attracted complaints from some spectators and was cancelled after a short run.
- 1934
A Severa presented at the Capitólio[1]
Product launch
The Portuguese film A Severa, regarded as the country's first all-talking sound film, was presented at the venue.
- 1931
Teatro Capitólio opens in Lisbon[1]
Other
The multifunctional cinema-theatre designed by Luís Cristino da Silva officially opened in Parque Mayer on 10 July.
Sources1 sources
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