Caupolicán Theatre, Entertainment venue in Santiago, Chile
Caupolicán Theatre is an entertainment venue on San Diego Street designed to hold approximately 4,500 people in its main hall. The building features acoustic properties suited for concerts, sports events, and theatrical performances held throughout the year.
The theatre opened in 1936 with funding from the Public Employees Fund, establishing large-scale entertainment in Santiago. This founding became a turning point for how the city hosted major cultural and sports events.
The theatre's name honours Caupolicán, the Mapuche toqui. In 1945 Pablo Neruda chose its stage to announce his membership of the Communist Party, and political rallies by Arturo Alessandri, Eduardo Frei Montalva and Salvador Allende were held here; some speeches were later printed and sold as books.
The venue sits centrally on San Diego Street in downtown Santiago and is easy to reach on foot. Plan ahead since the theatre hosts events throughout the year, with different types of performances scheduled regularly.
In 1954, the venue attempted an unusual bullfight event that failed when the animals refused to cooperate in the indoor setting. This curious experiment reveals how the building tried different forms of entertainment throughout its decades of operation.
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