The oldest of Málaga’s historic monuments, the Roman theatre of Malaga, dates back to 1 BC.

The Roman theatre of Malaga can be found on Calle Alcazabilla, just below the famous Alcazaba. The Roman theatre of Malaga was constructed in the 1st century B.C. under the rule of Augustus. In general, it is moderate compared to other such examples. Its current condition is generally excellent and can be visited or viewed from Calle Alcazabilla.

The Roman theatre of Malaga has a seating area in a semicircle format, quite typical of other Roman theatres of the time. The cavea is 31 meters radius and 16 meters high. Some stone was used from the theatre during the following centuries to aid in the construction of the nearby alcazaba around 756 AD. The Roman theatre was used as a theatre and still gave performances up to the 3rd century. During the 5th and 6th centuries, it was used as a cemetery.

Buried But Not Forgotten

During the past five centuries of the theatres life it was buried and forgotten. That was until the 1950’s when workers working on the Casa de Cultura discovered remains. After careful inspection and excavation, the Roman theatre of Malaga was rediscovered. However, it still had a long journey ahead before the first visitors would arrive in 2011.

The Casa de Culture was demolished in 1995 and the Roman theatre was given priority to be restored as a visitor attraction. About 27 years later the restoration project was completed, and the Roman theatre was opened to visitors. Today, it is enjoyed by the many visitors that visit Malaga, and is one of the must visit attractions in Malaga that you should visit.

A modern visitor center was built aside the Roman theatre and opened in 2010. The visitor center has audio and visual displays of the site, some recovered historical artifacts and information about its history. Both the entrance to the Roman theatre of Malaga and the visitors center are free.

Roman Thestre situated below the Alcazaba in Malaga
Roman Theatre of Malaga

Visiting The Roman Theatre Of Malaga

This magnificent Roman monument is right in the center of Malaga. The chances are you will come across the Roman theatre by chance as you explore the old town of Malaga. Its proximity to the alcazaba means you will be able to visit both of these historical places at the same time. Generally, there are fewer people around 3pm in the afternoon. You must remember thst the Roman theatre is exposed and in summer it might not be the best hour to visit due to the heat of the sun.

When you visit the Roman 5heagre of Malaga, there are several other attractions to visit that are close by. These could be visited on the same day as the Roman theatre. The amazing Alzazaba is just above the Roman theatre and the entrance is just a few meters away. The Museum of Malaga can be found just down from the Roman theatre. Malaga Cathedral and the Picasso Museum ate about 5 to 10 minutes walk away. If you do visit the Roman theatre, make sure you also visit the Alcazaba. Both of these attractions ate the oldest and most impressive sighs to visit in Malaga’s historic old town.

Roman Theatre Of Malaga Opening Times 2023

The Roman theatre opening times are 10am until 6pm Tuesday – Saturday. On Sunday, you can visit from 10am until 4pm. Please note, the Roman theatre is closed on Mondays. The admission price to visit the Roman theatre is currently free of charge.

The above opening times may be subject to changes. Please check with the attraction before visiting. If we get any changes to the opening times, we will update this post accordingly.