Royal Theatre, Cultural theater in Thessaloniki, Greece

The Royal Theatre stands at 30 October Avenue 2 in Thessaloniki and seats 683 in its main auditorium. It is the permanent home of the State Theatre of Northern Greece, with a multifunctional stage used for performances, concerts and film screenings, plus a reception hall, foyer and a library of about 60 m² with a reading room.

Designed by architect Konstantinos Doxiadis, the building was completed in 1940 and inaugurated in July of that year with Shakespeare's Richard III, starring Alexis Minotis. From 1943 it housed the State Theatre of Thessaloniki. After damage forced its closure, it served as a rehearsal and storage space until restoration began in 1996; it reopened in 2000.

The theatre's name comes from its original role as a royal stage, and it opened in July 1940 with Shakespeare's Richard III, starring Alexis Minotis. Today it is the permanent home of the State Theatre of Northern Greece, whose library occupies about 60 m² with a reading room. Its hall also serves concerts, film screenings, exhibitions and conferences.

The theater sits in central Thessaloniki and is easy to reach on foot from the main streets. Check ahead to see what is playing and how to get your tickets in advance.

The building was designed by Konstantinos Doxiadis, an architect and urban planner, and was completed in 1940. It was first intended as a summer stage for the National Theatre, but was quickly converted into a winter stage. It reopened in 2000 after reconstruction by architects K. Kouroussopoulos and N. Scholidis.