The Opera – Royal Theater

After 100 meters walk from Plaza de Oriente, we are in the Plaza Isabel II, more commonly known as Opera Square, or just Opera, as its Metro station, where we have the eastern facade of the Royal Theater (Teatro Real).

In the photo above, we have the Opera Square, and behind the Royal Theater building is the Plaza de Oriente, and the Royal Palace.

This square was once called Plaza de los Caños del Peral, because it was a public service utility with 57 laundry basins , which fell into disuse in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century, when the construction of the Plaza de Oriente begun.

During the reign of Elizabeth II, the square became urbanized, the water ducts were hidden below the square, and the building of the Royal Theater started.

After thirty-two years of planning and construction, the Royal Order of May 7, 1850 enforced the immediate termination of the “Teatro de Oriente”, and the building was completed within five months. It was finally inaugurated on November 19, 1850.

The Royal Theater, had to close in 1925, due to the damage to its structure that the construction of the Metro de Madrid had caused. In 1966, it reopens its doors as a concert hall, and in the 90s, it was remodeled to be re-enabled as an opera theater.

The renovation work was completed in 1995, and after the administrative, artistic and functional process, allowed the opera house to be opened again in 1997.