Earlier known as Teatro Príncipe Alfonso and Teatro de la Libertad, the Cervantes Theatre emerged as such in 1870, after an accidental fire tore it down in the mid nineteenth century. Designed by architect Jerónimo Cuervo, with paintings by Bernardo Ferrándiz (ceiling) and Antonio Muñoz Degrain (curtain), it was immediately designated as a Historical and Artistic Monument. In the 1950s, it showed signs of deterioration. After several years of inactivity, it was acquired by Málaga Town Hall in 1984. Town authorities rehabilitated the building, and on 6 April 1987 the theatre reopened.
