The outside of the Juarez Theater (Teatro Juarez) blew us away. We had foolishly decided to walk from our hotel (the lovely Quinta Las Acacias) to the historical center in Guanajuato, a gem of a colonial town in Mexico. Some TripAdvisor reviews noted it was only a 20-minute walk. But we didn’t know our way around, so it took us over an hour. (Mind you, it was a pleasant walk.)
And then, as we entered the pedestrian-only historical zone and turned a corner, there it was! Teatro Juarez – the ornate theater we’d read about and couldn’t wait to see.
The theater’s stone façade is dominated by 12 neoclassical Doric columns
Juarez Theater in Guanajuato
Dating back to 1873, it’s decorated on the outside with Greek columns and lion sculptures. On top, the roof is crowned with eight bronze statues of the Greek mythological muses.
Looking up from the theater steps at Victorian lamp posts
The roof of the theater is crowned with eight beautiful bronze statues of the Greek muses
Inside the Teatro Juarez is also worth a look
The carpet is worn from constant use (people still watch performances in the theater). And the seating seems a bit crammed-in.
But the red-and-gold interior (plush velvet curtains, red leather covered chairs) certainly reflects the lavish tastes of Mexican dictator Porfirio Diaz, who inaugurated the theater.
The theater’s ornate interior is ablaze in red and gold colors
Bronze statue inside the opulent theater
Back outside, we joined the university students and others (locals and visitors alike) sitting on the wide expanse of steps leading up to the Juarez Theater.
Perched there, we basked in the sunshine and the glorious lookout over the Jardin Union – the triangular plaza in Guanajuato’s center, fringed by gnarled ancient laurel trees, their deep-green crowns trimmed square to shade pedestrians on the sidewalk just below.
The pie-shaped Jardin Union is a lovely sliver of city garden
Sitting on the Juarez Theater steps
Gazing at the outdoor cafes and shops that ring the plaza and the bustle of people walking past, we felt as though we’d been transported to the Spanish Steps in Rome.
Only the Spanish spoken all around us reminded us that we were in Mexico. In Guanajuato. At the Juarez Theater.
If you visit the Juarez Theater
- Hours: The theater is only open to visitors when no performances are scheduled. Opening hours are 9am to 1pm and 4pm to 6pm, Tues-Sun (closed Mondays)
- Admission: 30 pesos (or less than $3 USD)
We’re Janice and George Mucalov, award-winning travel writers, sharing tales of luxury travel with a twist of adventure at Sand In My Suitcase.
Corinne says
March 31, 2014 at 8:39 amStunning! I would love to visit the theater…gorgeous.
Heather - the kiwi travel writer says
March 26, 2014 at 1:56 pmgreat piece about a fab building .. my bucket list just added another place to it as we would love to go there
Josie says
March 26, 2014 at 6:18 amHi Janice and George,
When an article focuses on one facet, the concentrated look allows us to really see and enjoy. Thank you for doing just that! Guanajuato and the Juarez Theater look lovely. And I love that you shared the photo of Irene in the comments! Sweet!
Josie
Patti Morrow says
March 25, 2014 at 4:26 pmWow, what an absolutely stunning theater! I love the architecture and décor inside. I prefer performances in these magnificent old gems over the new, aesthetically-cold convention centers any day!
Michele Peterson says
March 25, 2014 at 3:52 pmGuanajuato is such a beautiful city. It’s great to see its beauty being recognized and the Jardin Union square looks very lush in your photo. Nice shot of Irene in the Alley of the Kiss – I’m assuming that’s Jerry with her and not the tour guide :-)
Nancie says
March 25, 2014 at 3:04 pmWhat a gorgeous piece of architecture. I can imagine myself sitting inside enjoying a performance.
Janice and George says
March 25, 2014 at 3:30 pmOpera? Ballet? Symphony? Yes, we could imagine it too…
Marilyn Jones says
March 25, 2014 at 1:12 pmYour photos are so beautiful!!
Janice and George says
March 25, 2014 at 1:20 pmThank you for sharing that!
exploramum says
March 25, 2014 at 1:00 pmAww – such a lovely blog – enjoyed that!
Michelle says
March 25, 2014 at 12:16 pmI have never thought of visiting Guanajuato and the Juarez Theater – until now. Your photos are excellent. I especially love the garden photo. Thanks for sharing!
Janice and George says
March 25, 2014 at 12:49 pmGuanajuato is definitely worth visiting (combine it with San Miguel de Allende, another colonial jewel).
Doreen Pendgracs says
March 25, 2014 at 12:04 pmThx for this post! I haven’t been to Juarez for many years, but my memories of the city are not that great. It’s nice to see that they do have some notable places for culture buffs. Would love to experience a performance in that theater!
Janice and George says
March 25, 2014 at 12:51 pmDon’t confuse Guanajuato with Juarez :-). Guanajuato is a lovely colonial town, with lots of museums, restaurants and boutique hotels.
noel says
March 25, 2014 at 11:44 amWhat an elegant theater, it would be wonderful to see a performance there at night and see it lit up, although the images are also impressive during the day time. Thanks for sharing this landmark.
Janice and George says
March 25, 2014 at 11:54 amWe too had hoped to see a live performance at night, but unfortunately there was nothing scheduled when we visited Guanajuato…
Irene S Levine says
March 24, 2014 at 7:08 amLovely story!
Sometimes, I feel like I’m following you around:-)
We were here, too, along with many visitors from other parts of Mexico but no others from the States.
Janice and George says
March 24, 2014 at 7:59 amThanks for sending us your photo of the two of you at Guanajuato’s Alley of the Kiss! Hope you don’t mind us sharing it here…
ben says
March 25, 2014 at 8:30 pmI love this picture!