Riachuelo Theatre

The Riachuelo theatre sticks out like a sore thumb! Its Islamic influences are a far cry from the modern buildings in downtown Rio. In fact, this type of neo-Moorish architectural style is rather rare in the city. Such Arab architectural influences are more commonly found in Spain, which actually makes sense, as it was a Spanish architect who designed this façade in 1928, to embellish one of the city’s very first cinemas! The building opened its doors in 1890, initially as the Brazilian National Casino. In 1901, the theater began showing films, and it would continue to do so for 107 years straight! It changed names several times over the years, becoming the Cinéma Majestic when it screened the city’s first sound film, “Broadway Melody”. It was then called Palacio Teatro and finally Ciné Palacio. In 2008, the final credits rolled, and after long restoration work, closely monitored by Rio’s Institute for the Preservation of Historical Heritage, the cinema reopened in 2016, to reveal the brand-new stage of the Riachuelo Theater.