Believed to be the fifth-oldest Portuguese theatre that still retains its original features, the Sá de Miranda has a capacity of 400.

[1][2] The theatre's construction was the result of the efforts of a group of people from Viana do Castelo, who formed the Companhia Fomentadora Vianense in 1879.

It follows an Italian style and was designed by José Geraldo da Silva Sardinha [pt], with horseshoe-shaped stalls and three rows of boxes, 21 first-class and 16 second-class.

The ceiling, a trompe l'oeil image of the sky with portraits of playwrights, was painted by João Baptista do Rio.

[4][5] With theatres beginning to face competition from films, the Sá de Miranda was converted to also show movies.