Piraeus Municipal Theater

Piraeus Municipal Theater

The Municipal Theater of Piraeus is a neoclassical building on Korai Square in the center of Piraeus. The imposing theater was built according to the plans of the architect Ioannis Lazarimou, who was influenced by the German school of Ernst Ziller.

Today, due to its size and monumental appearance, the Municipal Theater of Piraeus belongs together with the National Theater of Greece as the most important Greek theater buildings of the 19th century.

The Municipal Theater of Piraeus was inaugurated on April 9, 1895 and has a flamboyant main entrance with Corinthian columns. The building has a rectangular shape with dimensions of 34 x 45 meters and has conservative aesthetics that reflect the spirit of the times in which it was built.

 

During the construction of the theater, there was a debate about whether the building was too much, since at that time the City of Piraeus had only 27,000 inhabitants. Nevertheless, it was decided to build the theater with a horseshoe-shaped auditorium, a gallery, and balconies on four levels with space for about 1,300 seats. The luxurious interior includes numerous murals and stucco work, the huge chandelier in the interior, which is still preserved today, comfortable changing rooms, and a spacious living room. For a long time, the Municipal Theater of Piraeus also housed the Municipal Library and the City Gallery of Piraeus.

Today, it hosts numerous theaters, operas, musicals, and other events and attracts thousands of visitors from all parts of Athens to Piraeus' Korai Square.