Why go
Compare the theatre with the hotel next door to see San Sebastián's early twentieth-century plan for a resort and cultural centre. The Victoria Eugenia later hosted the city's film festival for decades, adding cinema history to its original role as a performance venue.
The full story
The Victoria Eugenia Theatre and Hotel María Cristina were conceived together as part of San Sebastián's early twentieth-century expansion as a resort. Francisco de Urcola designed the theatre, which opened in 1912 and took the name of Queen Victoria Eugenia. Its exterior draws on Spanish Renaissance forms, in contrast with the French influence seen in many other buildings of the period. The theatre hosted stage performances and became a principal venue of the San Sebastián International Film Festival until the end of the twentieth century. A major renovation between 2001 and 2007 changed the auditorium and reduced its seating while improving sightlines. The pair of buildings still shows how entertainment and hospitality were deliberately placed together beside the Urumea. An exterior look explains that urban plan; consult the current programme if you want to experience the auditorium during a performance.