Cine Nacional

This theater was inaugurated on April 15, 1838 as the Gran Teatro Colón, named after Spanish Governor Captain General Miguel Tacón, its architect was Antonio Mayo. When the ornate Centro Gallego was built on that site, Paseo del Prado 452 and San Rafael, in 1914, in German neo-baroque style designed by Belgian architect Paul Belau, the Teatro Nacional was located in the building. From the late teens to the early 40’s, it was the best and largest theater in the city. It also showed films. I saw Mexican charro Jorge Negrete perform there live on stage around 1949.