National Theater of Cuba, Performance venue at Plaza de la Revolucion, Havana, Cuba

The National Theater of Cuba is a theatre building on the Plaza de la Revolución in Havana, with two auditoriums, the Sala Covarrubias and the Sala Avellaneda, whose combined capacity is 3,500 people. The larger hall is named after the Hispano-Cuban writer Gertrudis Gómez de Avellaneda; the smaller after the Cuban actor Francisco Covarrubias (1775–1850).

Construction began in 1952 under President Fulgencio Batista, with the design drawing on ideas from large American performance venues of that era. Work slowed after the revolution, and the building did not fully open until 1979.

The building is home to some of Cuba's most established companies, including the national ballet and several music ensembles that perform there regularly. Attending a show here feels like a local event as much as a tourist one, with Cuban families making up a large part of the audience.

The theater sits on the Plaza de la Revolución, one of Havana's most visited public spaces, so it is easy to combine a visit with a walk around the square. Coming a little early before any performance gives you time to see the plaza and find your seat without rushing.

The two halls are named after figures from Cuban cultural history: Francisco Covarrubias, a theater pioneer from the 19th century, and Gertrudis Gómez de Avellaneda, a poet and playwright. Avellaneda was one of the few women of her time to gain recognition across the Spanish-speaking world as a writer.