Teatro Margherita
To dodge a monopoly, Bari built its second theatre where no contract could reach — on piles driven into the harbour.
At a glance
The Teatro Margherita stands on the water of Bari’s old port, a Liberty pavilion raised on piles between 1912 and 1914. Designed by Francesco De Giglio, it was the first reinforced-concrete building in the city, and since 2018 it has housed BAC, Bari’s museum of contemporary art.
Key facts
- Built: 1912–1914 (opened 22 August 1914)
- Architect: Francesco De Giglio
- Style: Liberty (with Beaux-Arts touches)
- Construction: First reinforced-concrete building in Bari
- Current use: BAC – Bari museum of contemporary art (since 2018)
- Coordinates: 41.1264, 16.8728 — Google Maps
History
The Petruzzelli family held a pact with the city that barred any other theatre from being built on municipal land. The loophole was the sea: a theatre raised over the water broke no agreement. So the Teatro Margherita was driven on piles into the old harbour, designed by Francesco De Giglio and built in 1912–1914 with the reinforced concrete of the engineer Luigi Santarella.
It opened on 22 August 1914. After decades of decline — including years as a fish market — the building was restored and reopened on 6 December 2018 as BAC, the city’s contemporary art museum.
What you see
The theatre reads as a Liberty pavilion floating on the port, its facade carrying marine and floral motifs and a shallow dome. From the quay it sits between the old town and the water, mirrored on calm days.
Inside, the former auditorium has become open museum space, but the structure still tells of the daring engineering that put a theatre out over the sea.
Practical information
- Now the BAC contemporary art museum; ticketed, with regular opening hours and exhibitions.
- On the waterfront promenade, freely seen from outside.
- Easily combined with a walk into Bari Vecchia, the old town.
Getting there
The Teatro Margherita is on the Lungomare Imperatore Augusto, on the old port between the new town and Bari Vecchia. It is a short walk from the central Murat quarter and Bari Centrale station.
Nearby
Sources
- Wikipedia, “Teatro Margherita (Bari)”
- Comune di Bari
- Barinedita — local heritage reportage
Find it on the map
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