The Capitol Theater will reopen under municipal ownership

The Barcelona City Council obtains the emblematic theater for the city in an initiative that reinforces the cultural centrality of La Rambla

In its new stage under municipal ownership, the facility will maintain its two theaters, with capacities of 402 and 198 seats respectively

The management of the Capitol will be decided by competition, following the line of other municipal cultural spaces such as El Molino or Paral·lel 62

In addition to its theatrical use, the building will house in the future the Central Services Offices of the Barcelona Library Consortium, which will remain on La Rambla

The Barcelona City Council presented today the reopening of the Capitol, the emblematic theater on La Rambla that closed its doors five years ago. With this announcement, the City Council responds to a long-standing demand from Friends of La Rambla, who have always asked for the continuity of theatrical activity at Club Capitol.

The facility will reopen under municipal ownership, in an initiative that reinforces La Rambla as the cultural lung of the city. In its new stage, the building will combine its role as a theater space with administrative functions. In the future, the space will also house the Central Services offices of the city's Library Consortium, which will occupy the last two floors.

After the necessary renovation works for the reopening, which according to initial estimates will be completed in the fall of 2027, the Capitol will have two theaters: one with 402 seats, and a second one with 198. In this way, the city will be provided with two new scenic spaces in the heart of the city, which will help meet the theater sector's need to increase seating capacities at a time with record-breaking audience numbers.

Regarding the management model, it will be done by a competition called by the City Council, following the example of other municipal facilities such as El Molino or Paral·lel 62.

In the specific area of La Rambla, the recovery of the Capitol for a cultural use will also be a revitalizer for the future of the new Rambla and the new cultural role of La Rambla in the city, which, after the urban reform, aims to promote new uses that allow attracting the citizens of Barcelona, the metropolitan area, and the local area once again. With the new Capitol, La Rambla is strengthened to generate new dynamics and place it back at the center of the city and in the usual cultural agenda of Barcelona residents.

The new municipal ownership of the Capitol will also allow relocating in the future the Central Services offices of the Library Consortium. Currently, the Library Consortium has its offices spread over two rented premises on the third floor of the building located at number 88 La Rambla.

After the move to the Capitol, this expense will be eliminated, while the available space for offices, workspaces, and training and education rooms will be improved. The building will also have a central distribution and logistics warehouse for the processing and shipment of documents and other materials to the network of libraries. The project includes an approximate area of 900 m² for these purposes.

A building with history

The Capitol opened as a cinema in 1926 and was converted into a theater in 1997. On July 3, 2019, a flood at the adjacent Hotel Continental forced the performances to be suspended, and the permanent closure was announced at the end of the season. The last performance was held on March 12, 2020, coinciding with the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic and the beginning of the lockdown. During its trajectory, the theater hosted a total of 379 shows, with over 14,000 performances and a cumulative attendance of more than 2.7 million spectators.

Friends of La Rambla have always demanded the continuity of cultural activity in this space. With today's announcement made by the Mayor of Barcelona, Jaume Collboni, it is guaranteed that one of the most beloved cultural spaces of La Rambla, first as a cinema (popularly known as "Can Pistoles") and then as a theater (with one of the theaters dedicated to Pepe Rubianes), will maintain its activity and appeal.

The Library Consortium, engine of the Barcelona library system

Established in 2001, the Barcelona Library Consortium is a local entity with its own legal personality, constituted by the Barcelona City Council and the Barcelona Provincial Council. It is attached to the City Council and subject to public law. Among its main functions are the management and coordination of the city's public libraries, as well as ensuring library services for public reading in accordance with current regulations.

Since its creation, the Barcelona library network has grown from 25 to 41 operating facilities. The Central Services of the Consortium encompass areas such as management, administration, human resources, technical services, projects, innovation, communication, and cultural, educational, and social programming, supporting the entire city's library network.