Cervantes Theater in Malaga

Location: Malaga

Author: José Seguí Pérez. Architect

ESTUDIO SEGUÍ

Date: 1986

Commission: Directorate General of Architecture of the Ministry of Public Works

Built Area: 2.950 m2

The municipal decision of the rehabilitation of the Theater Cervantes of Malaga begins with the acquisition of the property in 1984 by the Municipal Corporation of Malaga that presides its Mayor D. Pedro Aparicio, ordering next to the General Direction of Architecture of the then Ministry of Works Public works rehabilitation for this large protected building that was designed by the Architect Gerónimo Cuervo in 1870, with the artistic collaboration of the painter Bernardo Ferrándiz that realizes the magnificent ceiling of the Theater. 

Subsequently and throughout its activity as a theater, a series of modifications are made in the building, ending with its adaptation to the cinema in 1950 until its final closure and abandonment of its activity that causes a high degree of deterioration of the whole building . The rehabilitation tries to recover not only the original state of the project, with its interesting plant in the form of “horseshoe” referenced to the great Italian theaters of the time and its exceptional solution of its wooden structure of the building roof and stage box, but Which also complements it with the new body added of changing rooms and the creation of the public space of the square that contributes its urban qualification. It is also worth noting the work of rehabilitation and interpretation of all the furniture of armchairs and new lamps of lighting highlighting the great lamps of the access vestibule. The new Teatro Cervantes is inaugurated in 1987 with the presence of S.M. The Queen Sofía, obtaining the “Europe Nostra” Prize (UNESCO) and Better Rehabilitation Andaluza in 1987.