The minister conducted an on-site works progress check

On 22 December 2009 Housing Minister Beatriz Corredor, accompanied by Director-General of Architecture and Housing Anunciación Romero, Mayor Jesús Dionisio Ballesteros of Aranjuez and other local authorities, visited the site where the Gran Teatro Coliseo Carlos III de Aranjuez is being refurbished by FCC Construcción.

The Teatro de Aranjuez was built during the reign of Carlos III by French architect Jaime Marquet, who also designed the theatres of El Pardo and San Lorenzo del Escorial. The latter and the Aranjuez theatre are the oldest roofed theatres still standing in Spain.

From the start the Teatro de Aranjuez has seethed with cultural activity. In the 19th century it hosted a string of lyrical productions and serious plays, operas, light operas and comedies. In the early decades of the 20th century the seating was removed and the theatre served as an improvised ballroom. And lastly in 1933 it became a cinema. After alterations in 1948, the Teatro boasted seating for 1,037.

The refurbishment and reconstruction of the theatre as planned by architect Mariano Bayón respect the original mid-18th-century design and will use the original period elements that still remain. All these elements are currently undergoing restoration for their future, and now impending, reinstallation piece by piece in the building.

One of these elements is a magnificent ceiling fresco, which will again occupy its original place in the auditorium. There are also some original painted woodcarvings in the proscenium, a wooden roof truss structure, a decorated curtain on the proscenium arch and various decorative items on the extrados of the boxes.