Teatro Carrera, Historic theater in Concha y Toro district, Santiago, Chile

Teatro Carrera is a four-story reinforced-concrete building on Avenida Libertador Bernardo O'Higgins, between Maturana and Concha y Toro streets. Its concrete was stuccoed to imitate stone, and each of its three facades carries classical tile mosaics by Aristodemo Lattanzi. Inside, the original semicircular seating arrangement held 1500 spectators, and the grand staircase and much of the interior ornamentation survive.

Commissioned by Aurelio Valenzuela and designed by architects Gustavo Monckeberg and José Aracena, the theater was built in 1926 on the former front garden of the Concha-Cazotte Palace. It opened on 10 September 1926 with the film "Entonces te acordarás de mí" as the Teatro de la Sociedad Valenzuela Basterrica y Cía. It became Chile's first sound cinema. After closing in the 1960s, the main hall housed an auto parts shop until the building was occupied in October 2012 by a restaurant and bar.

The theatre opened on 10 September 1926 with the film "Entonces te acordarás de mí" and was first called Teatro de la Sociedad Valenzuela Basterrica y Cía. It became the country's first sound cinema. After closing in the 1960s, the main hall housed an auto parts shop; since 2012 the building has held a restaurant and bar, now serving Chinese food.

The building sits on Avenida Libertador Bernardo O'Higgins between Maturana and Concha y Toro streets, making it straightforward to locate on foot. Note that the space now operates as a restaurant rather than a cinema, which affects how you can access and view the interior.

The theatre's name comes from the Carrera family, who owned the land: the building rose on the former front garden of the Palacio Concha-Cazotte. Look for the three mosaic facades by Aristodemo Lattanzi, facing the Alameda and Maturana and Concha y Toro streets.