The Teatro Leal is one of the most distinguished pieces of Modernista architecture in the Canary Islands, built between 1914 and 1918 to a design by the local architect Manuel de Cámara — who also worked on the cathedral facade. The exterior is covered in ornamental ceramic tiles and sculptural plasterwork in the Catalan Modernisme style, unusual this far south and west of Barcelona. The building fell into disrepair in the late 20th century and was extensively restored; it now operates as an active performance venue.
The theatre stands on a corner near the Calle San Agustín in the lower part of the historic centre. Even if you do not attend a performance, the facade is worth looking at for its quality and its incongruity — this level of architectural investment in a relatively small colonial town says something about the cultural ambitions of early 20th-century La Laguna. The interior, with its horseshoe-shaped auditorium, has been carefully restored to something close to its original appearance.