Rabat – Spain’s Council of Ministers formally approved an agreement to authorize the “irrevocable donation” of Tangier’s Gran Teatro Cervantes to Morocco today, February 12.
The Moroccan government had previously offered to restore and manage the theater and committed to maintaining its Spanish history and culture in exchange for full ownership of the culturally significant structure.
The Spanish government responded by agreeing to transfer full ownership of the Gran Teatro Cervantes to Morocco.
In 1911, prominent Tangier residents Don Manuel Peña and his wife Esperanza Orellana decided to build the Gran Teatro Cervantes near the Grand Socco in Tangier.
The couple chose Diego Jimenez Armstrong, a well-known architect who had already designed several important structures in Tangier, to design the theater.
The Gran Teatro Cervantes opened in 1913 and is dedicated to renowned 16-17th century Spanish writer Miguel de Cervantes.
By 1929, the theater, one of the most important buildings in Tangier, had become the property of the Spanish government.
The theater is currently in a state of disarray. Restoration projects have been delayed since the 1970s due to disputes between Tangier city officials and the Spanish government.
The donation has been authorized in the form of a convention or legalized agreement. The Spanish Council of Ministers approved the convention on February 8 and it will be applied on February 13, according to Spanish outlet Europa Press.
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