Cervantes National Theatre, Buenos Aires

Standing: High · Heritage site
Rank: Rank 66 of 4,005

Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor

About Cervantes National Theatre

The Teatro Nacional Cervantes is Argentina's national stage and comedy theatre, on Córdoba Avenue two blocks north of the Teatro Colón. It owes its existence to the Spanish producer María Guerrero, who moved to Argentina with her company in 1897; in 1918 she and her husband Fernando Díaz de Mendoza set aside part of their fortune to build their own theatre, in Spanish baroque style and named after Miguel de Cervantes, with fixtures commissioned by King Alfonso XIII. It opened on 5 September 1921 with Lope de Vega's La dama boba. Forced to auction it in 1926, the couple saw it become the National Stage Theatre, and in 1933 the home of the National Comedy Theatre.

Checked 2026-11-05 · Source

What's inside

The Cervantes has three performance halls. The main hall, the María Guerrero Salon, seats 860 spectators, 512 of them in the galleries, and its 456-square-metre stage has a 12-metre rotating circular platform and can be extended by a further 2.7 metres. The Orestes Caviglia Salon seats 150 and is mostly used for chamber music concerts, and the Luisa Vehíl Salon is a multipurpose room known for its extensive gold-leaf decoration. A large fire in 1961 nearly destroyed the theatre; it was modernised with a 17-storey annex, the main hall was rebuilt to its original specifications, and the theatre reopened in 1968. A National Theatre Law passed in 1997 made the Cervantes an official entity.

Checked 2026-11-05 · Source

Season and crowds

The Teatro Nacional Cervantes publishes its programme on its official website, with performances in the María Guerrero and Orestes Caviglia halls, touring productions elsewhere in Argentina and a monthly calendar. Evening performances in November 2026 were mostly at 20:00, with some 15:00 weekend matinées. The theatre also runs guided tours, Visitas guiadas del Cervantes, titled 'Historia y leyenda'; in November 2026 they were scheduled on Mondays at 11:00. The box office at Libertad 815 is open Wednesday to Sunday from 10 to 22 h, and tickets can also be bought through Alternativa Entradas. The theatre's telephone numbers are +54 11 4816-4224 and +54 11 4815-8883.

Checked 2026-11-05 · Source

Place details and sources

Official name: Teatro Nacional Cervantes OpenStreetMap · Checked 2026-09-09
Address: Avenida Córdoba, 1155, C1055AAB, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, AR OpenStreetMap · Checked 2026-09-09
Type of place: Theatre OpenStreetMap · Checked 2026-09-09
Established: 1921 Wikidata · Checked 2026-09-09
Heritage designation: National Historical Monument of Argentina Wikidata · Checked 2026-09-09
Wikipedia article: Teatro Nacional Cervantes Wikipedia · Checked 2026-09-09

Common questions

When is the box office open?

Wednesday to Sunday, 10 to 22 h, at Libertad 815; tickets are also sold through Alternativa Entradas.

How many people does the main hall seat?

The María Guerrero Salon seats 860, including 512 in the galleries.

When did the theatre open?

On 5 September 1921, with Lope de Vega's La dama boba.

Where it is

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Nearby

Within 7 min on foot

30 min
2 min walk
Templo Libertad
- Must see
- Place of worship
1 hour
3 min walk
Teatro Colon
- Must see · Heritage site
- Art and culture venue
1 hour
7 min walk
Provincia de Tierra del Fuego
- Notable
- Nature site