Madrid City Council honours Tablao 1911 as the Cathedral of Flamenco

4/24/2026

 

Last Tuesday, 21 April, Tablao 1911 – formerly Villa Rosa received a commemorative plaque from Madrid City Council, paying tribute to its more than one hundred years of history and its legendary status as the “Cathedral of Flamenco”.

 

It was founded in 1911, making it the oldest tablao. Its history has seen countless significant events linked to flamenco and popular culture. It is known as the Cathedral of Flamenco for its age and trajectory.

 

The bailaor Antonio Canales was present, recalling some of the most emblematic moments of this tablao. He noted that “we are standing before the dean of the tablaos, before the great Cathedral of Flamenco, which is Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity”.

 

The person who unveiled the commemorative plaque, which now stands on the façade of Tablao 1911, was the Delegate for Culture, Tourism and Sport of Madrid City Council, Marta Rivera de la Cruz. The event was also attended by Carlos Segura, Councillor for the Central District.

 

In the words of José Díaz, managing director of Tablao 1911: “We are especially delighted with this recognition from Madrid City Council, which is also a tribute to all the artists who have taken to this stage and to those who continue to leave their legacy here, writing a new page in the history of 1911 every night”.

 

For her part, the owner, Ivana María Portoles del Val, expressed that “keeping flamenco shows with today’s top artists alive in a venue that has been operating for more than 100 years is not just management, it is the guardianship of a temple”. “Seeing this plaque today on the façade in Plaza de Santa Ana is the recognition of a collective effort to preserve flamenco culture in Madrid.” “For us, protecting this legacy and its historic tiles is a responsibility we assume with the utmost respect for those who were here before and those who will come after,” she stressed.

 

The event was also attended by its artistic director, Paula Rodríguez, and the bailaores Claudia Cruz and El Yiyo.

 

Source: Mareaglobal.com