First Cirque Royal (1878–1953) The Cirque Royal was created by the eponymous joint-stock company when the
Freedom Quarter was built from 1876 onwards. The architect Wilhelm Khunen designed a building in the shape of a regular
polygon on the available plot within the block. The Indian-style hall was rhymed by twenty columns that served as support for a
roof truss that was hidden from the eyes of the spectators by a lowered ceiling in the form of a
cashmere veil. It was festively opened in 1878 After the war, it served for some time as a prison for German
prisoners of war. From 1920, it reopened as a circus, and the director at the time reinstated the equestrian shows, supplemented by
music hall revues and
variety shows.
Second Cirque Royal (1953–present) After the
Second World War, the building stood empty for some time. It aimed to give the enlarged hall a multifunctional vocation so as to be able to extend the season throughout the year. Of the old building, only the foundations and the exterior framework reinforced by metal beams were kept. A new team was assembled to manage this event venue. ==Notable performances==