City Theater

These columns belong to the Teatro de la Ciudad Francisco de Paula Toro, a beautiful neoclassical theater from the 19th century and one of the cultural landmarks of Campeche. It was also one of the first lyric theaters built in Mexico. The project was launched by General Francisco de Paula Toro, who wanted to give his city a theater worthy of the great cultural capitals of the time. But the story of its construction is full of unexpected twists. The architect chosen to design the building was a Frenchman named Théodore Journot, who happened to be in a rather unusual situation: he was imprisoned in Campeche for reasons that remain somewhat unclear. Instead of remaining behind bars, he negotiated an agreement with the theater’s investors. In exchange for his freedom, a salary of 50 pesos a month, and a bonus of 500 pesos once the work was completed, he would design the theater. He signed the contract from his cell and soon regained his liberty. This unusual arrangement marked the beginning of a project that would change the cultural life of the city. But the difficulties were not over. In 1833, a cholera epidemic struck Campeche, forcing construction to stop. At the same time, the local Catholic Church strongly opposed the theater, seeing it as a place of distraction and moral danger. Under pressure, the project’s shareholders eventually agreed to give part of the land for the construction of a church dedicated to the Virgin of Sorrows. Fortunately, once the epidemic subsided, construction of the theater resumed. After many delays and setbacks, the building was finally inaugurated in 1834 with great ceremony, featuring performances by the company of Rafael Palomera. The theater was soon praised as one of the most beautiful in the country. Today it still proudly bears the name of its founder, Francisco de Paula Toro, a visionary figure who, despite many obstacles, succeeded in leaving Campeche with a remarkable cultural legacy.