Teatro Colón de Bogotá
Colombia's national theatre of 1892 in La Candelaria, with a painted ceiling and horseshoe auditorium.
The Teatro Colón stands on Calle 10 in La Candelaria, on a site used for theatre since the late eighteenth century. The present building was designed by the Italian architect Pietro Cantini, built between 1885 and 1892 and inaugurated on 12 October 1892 to mark four centuries since Columbus's first voyage. Its stone front carries allegorical figures and busts of composers and dramatists, and the interior follows the Italian model with stalls and four tiers of boxes.
Inside, the auditorium is decorated with gilding, mirrors and a ceiling painted by Annibale Gatti showing figures from music and drama; the house curtain and much of the ornamental scheme were also Italian work. Declared a national monument, the theatre underwent a long restoration and reopened in stages from 2014. It is now one of the venues of the Centro Nacional de las Artes Delia Zapata Olivella, presenting opera, concerts, dance and drama, and it can be seen on guided tours outside performance times.
Highlights
- Italianate auditorium with stalls and four tiers of boxes
- Ceiling painting by Annibale Gatti and gilded ornament
- Inaugurated on 12 October 1892, designed by Pietro Cantini
- Guided tours of the foyer, boxes, dressing rooms and stage
