Aztec Theatre (San Antonio)
The Aztec Theatre is a historic venue in downtown San Antonio, Texas, near the Riverwalk. It opened on June 4, 1926, as a grand exotic‑themed movie palace built for $1.75 million. Designed by Meyer & Holler and developed by Kellwood Corporation, it was part of San Antonio’s Theater District, alongside the Empire, the Texas, the Majestic, and the Alameda.
In the 1970s the building was split into three smaller auditoriums (the Aztec Triplex) and eventually declined, closing in 1989. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1992, which helped save it from demolition. The theatre reopened as a concert venue on the Riverwalk in August 2009, with a performance called San Antonio Rose Live.
In 2013–14 a new lease turned the space into a multi‑purpose event center for concerts, private events, and more. Live Nation acquired the Aztec in 2015 and since then has hosted concerts, comedy shows, corporate events, weddings, and other functions. In 2020, a second‑floor outdoor terrace overlooking the Riverwalk was added for private events.
Inside, the Aztec Theatre features vibrant colors and decorations inspired by Aztec, Mixtec, Zapotec, Toltec, and Mayan cultures. It houses a six‑story building and a large three‑ton chandelier installed in 1929, which was fully restored. A notable piece is the original fire screen painting showing Montezuma II meeting Cortés. The venue’s capacity is about 1,477 people.
Website: theaztectheatre.com
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 18:26 (CET).