Circo El Porio
Circo El Porio is a historic indoor performance venue located in the heart of the Entertainment District of Cárdenas, the capital of Nouvelle Alexandrie. It was completed in 1692 AN after being commissioned by media magnate Alfonso El Porio, who sought to create a grand hall for circus acts and popular entertainment. Since its inauguration, the venue has become one of the city's iconic entertainment landmarks, hosting not only circuses but also fashion shows, equestrian exhibitions, and even musical concerts.
History
The Circo was designed outside of the original Cárdenas Plan outlined by Chief Architect Hyacinthe Betancourt. It was instead the brainchild of the excentric El Porio, a prominent media entrepreneur and patron of the arts. Financed as both a public amenity and a personal prestige project, the venue quickly established itself as a cultural focal point, due to its location close to the National Museum Complex and City Zoo.
Since opening, it has remained in active use and has seen periodic repairs and refurbishment, necessary for the high-energy performances of the venue. In 1708 AN, it received a modest expansion through the addition of a dedicated foyer and backstage rooms, necessary to accommodate the growing visitor numbers. In 1726 AN, as a result of the Recession of 1726, the Federal Capital District Council was forced to bailout the El Porio family, which saw the private ownership pass unto a shared public-private partnership.
In 1738 AN, the Museum of Circus Entertainment opened in a small annex of the building on the west side, showcasing famous events hosted since the building's opening, including props, multimedia, and art.
Architecture
The building was designed in a neoclassical style, with visible structural ironwork. The building is centred around a large polygonal hall - known as the 'Circus Ring' - topped by a domed self-supporting roof and encircled by three tiers of galleries that provide close sighlines to the central performance stage. Large segmental-arched windows at gallery level admit daylight to the tiers; each arch is finished with a pronounced keystone and flanked by carved swags and theatrical masks. Cast-iron engaged columns are embedded in the gallery walls and carry the gallery floors; between them, wrought-iron balustrades form the continuous rail of each tier. The domed roof is formed by radial iron ribs. These ribs spring from the top of the gallery walls and converge at a glazed skylight that admits controllable daylight to the ring below.
Surrounding this main hall are ancillary spaces: to the north are rehearsal rooms, dressing rooms, storage and workshops - as well as an animal stable. To the east is the grand foyer, decorated with frescoes and commemorative plaques honoring performers and patrons. This foyer is fronted by a broad stone stair and a small portico above the principal entrance, which depicts theatrical masks, garlands, and the El Porio sigil. There are two other entrances on two of the other faces of the building: to the north is the main personnel entry; and the museum has its own dedicated entrance with a small stair and vaulted arch above the door, featuring ornate art depicting circus culture.
Use
Since its opening, the Circo has hosted a wide variety of domestic and international artists. Especially world-renowned circus companies from Babkha and Constancia have hosted in the building.
Prominent names who have appeared in the venue include:
- Circo Marcelli - a major acrobatic and clown troupe famous for their multi-week seasons.
- Zarina's Caravan - a Babkha-based travelling variety company famed for aerial work and exotic animals; regular guests.
- Théathre Équeste de Valence - a famous equestrian group from Valencia, famous for their celebrated dressage pageants and gala rides.
- Royal Philharmonic Orchestra - while their headquarters are at the eponymous Music Art Hall, they have hosted regular charity benefits and promenade concerts through the years.
- Atelier Violette d'Agen - a famous couture house that has staged seasonal fashion tableaux and runway spectacles for several years.
About 220 events are held each year, ranging from small concerts to extended circus seasons. With a main-hall capacity of approximately 3,500-5,000 seated spectators (depending on configuration), the venue draws an estimated 400 to 500 thousand visitors annually, with peaks during spring and autumn festival seasons.
Transport
The building gives the name to the eponymous Circo El Porio Transit Hub, which is served by both the Cárdenas Metro and Cárdenas Cércanias, and stands at 50 m northwest of the building. The underground station has two island platforms, serving both Line B and E. The train station, which serves both three lines of the Cércanias as well as regional ExpresoReg trains, stands on the elevated rail track between Grande Unión Station and San Ferriomo with three island platforms and six tracks (two of which were added as part of the new Ferriomo-Izaran Link in 1735 AN).
The building itself is at the center of the small Plaza del Circo, which connects to Avenida Lyrica eastward and the north-south Avenida Ferriomo. Underground parking is available at the National Museum Complex, about 400 m to the west.
