Teatro Municipal, Arequipa, Theatre building in the historic centre of Arequipa, Peru

Teatro Municipal is a performance venue with classical architectural features situated at the corner of Mercaderes and Rivero streets in downtown Arequipa. The building houses a main hall, decorative foyers, and technical spaces designed to accommodate theatrical productions of various scales.

The Teatro Municipal opened on 15 August 1940, marking the four-hundredth anniversary of Arequipa's Spanish foundation. It was declared a historical heritage of Peru on 7 August 1987 by resolution R.M. N° 543-87-ED. In 1955 a National Coalition meeting held here was attacked with tear gas thrown into the packed stalls, setting off a strike that spread nationwide and began the fall of Manuel Odría's government.

The theatre's name appears on the Mercaderes street facade, and its 1,058-seat hall has hosted both opera seasons and political rallies. In 1955 a National Coalition meeting there was broken up with tear gas thrown from the gallery, an event that fed the strike which spread nationwide and hastened the fall of Manuel Odría's government.

The venue is easy to locate in downtown Arequipa at a central intersection where major streets meet. Performances run throughout the year, so checking the current schedule helps you find shows that match your interests and availability.

On 7 August 1987 the theater was declared a historical heritage of Peru by ministerial resolution R.M.N° 543-87-ED. The building on Mercaderes street, inaugurated on 15 August 1940 for the fourth centenary of the Spanish foundation of Arequipa, seats 1,058 spectators.