National Theater of Rhodes, Rhodes

The National Theater of Rhodes is the principal theatrical and cultural space on the island. It was built under the sovereignty of the Italians during the first half of the 20th century and was designed to impress and underscore the might of the ruling Italians. It is considered to be one of the finest examples of “fascist” architecture and is thought to have influenced the “international style. The building was constructed in 1937 and makes innovative use of glass bricks using the “finta pietra” technique. Once it was inaugurated, the theater was originally known as the “Puccini Theater” in honor of the great Italian composer.

Inside the theater there is a well laid out foyer area and inside the theater space there are lovely opera boxes and a huge balcony. The concert hall is well known for its high roof, which allows for great acoustics and lends itself very well to the performance of opera. Following on from World War II the theater has served a dual purpose as a performance space and cinema. Although the National Theater of Rhodes is one of the premier modern era buildings on the island, the identity of the architect has not been preserved over time.