Luanda — Angolan President João Lourenço, today, Monday, inspected the progress of the works on the future Palace of Music and the National Theatre and Cinema-Theatre in Luanda.
During the field visit, João Lourenço, accompanied by the Minister of Culture, Filipe Zau, and other members of the Executive, received technical explanations about the level of execution and the deadlines foreseen for the completion of the future Palace of Music and Theatre.
Built on the site of the former National Assembly, the future cultural complex will include performance halls, artistic training areas, exhibition spaces and the so-called Artist's House, as part of a broad program of cultural and architectural requalification.
The project foresees the preservation of the main architectural structure of the building, considered a historical symbol of the Nation, while also focusing on the promotion of culture, leisure and the urban development of the surrounding area.
Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn
Among the main features of the future Palace of Music and Theatre is a performance hall with a capacity of 620 seats, intended for concerts, plays and other cultural events.
The development also includes training and workshop rooms in the areas of theatre, music and dance, spaces for exhibitions and events, as well as a cafeteria and bar to support the public.
The Artist's House, integrated into the same complex, will have senior residences for approximately 80 people, including clinical and social assistance services aimed at welcoming artists.
The intervention plan also includes covered and uncovered parking, technical and support areas, as well as exterior landscaping, including an amphitheater with 150 seats and outdoor exhibition areas.
The cultural reconversion project was officially launched in December 2023 by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, with the construction being the responsibility of the Mitrelli/Athena Swiss group.
This is the second site visit made by the Head of the Executive Branch to the construction site, following the first visit on July 15, 2025.
The contractual deadline for the project is 30 months, with completion scheduled for 2027.
With the conversion, the space should recover its original cultural vocation, resuming its function as a performance hall that it performed before housing the Angolan parliament.
History of the building
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
Historically known as the Cinema-Theatre Restauração and, later, the Palace of Congresses, the building was constructed between 1946 and 1952, based on a project by the Portuguese architects João Garcia de Castilho and Luís Garcia de Castilho.
After national independence in 1975, the building served as the headquarters of the National Assembly until November 2015, when the Angolan parliament was transferred to its current facilities.
Visit to the construction site of the National Cinema-Theatre
Next, as part of the field visit, the Head of State visited the former facilities of Chá de Caxinde, also known as the National Cinema-Theatre, in downtown Luanda, where renovation and restoration work is currently underway on the historic performance hall.
The space, considered a historical and cultural heritage site of Angola and known as the "mother hall" of the country's theatres, is undergoing interventions aimed at restoring the infrastructure and returning it to its original cultural vocation.
According to information provided by the Minister of Culture, Filipe Zau, the ongoing works at the National Cinema-Theatre are 95 percent complete and have received a positive technical evaluation, forming part of a broader strategy to revitalize cinemas and theatres in Luanda.
The objective is to boost artistic programming, host concerts, theatre, cinema and other cultural events in the heart of downtown Luanda.
The building was inaugurated in 1932 as the National Cinema-Theatre and will once again have that same name. Over the decades it has become one of the main cultural landmarks of the Angolan capital. AFL/SC/DOJ
