Designed by the architect João de Moura Coutinho, it was first inaugurated on 21 April 1915 with a performance of Ruggero Leoncavallo's operetta La reginetta delle rose (Portuguese: Rainha das Rosas).

[1] The president of the municipal council, through the treasurer, took control of the Convent and the dependencies on the 19th of September, and the next day the demolition of the belvedre, towards the Rua das Águas began.

[1][2] On 21 April 1911, the theatre was inaugurated with the presentation of the operetta Rainha das Rosas (La reginetta delle rose) by Ruggero Leoncavallo, performed by the Éden Teatro de Lisboa company, under the direction of Luiz Galhardo, and starring Palmira Bastos in the principal role.

[1] As a result, in 1928, the first Portuguese cinema began appearing in the theatre, including Fátima Milagrosa and O Primo Basílio, and in October 1930, the first talking pictures, with the reel O Cantor Louco.

[1] Similar festivities were celebrated on 21 April 1940, marking the silver anniversary of the institution, that include performances by tenor Ascenso de Siqueira Freire.

[1] Around 2000,[4] new remodelling under the supervision of Sérgio Borges (budgeted at around 2.6 million contos) with funds from European Union and Ministry of Culture (Rede Nacional de Teatros e Cine-Teatros and Rede Municipal de Espaços Culturais) partnerships: the rejuvenated Circo was re-inaugurated on 27 October 2006, with an expansion project, interior and exterior remodeling by Architect Sérgio Borges, serving the municipality of Braga.

[1] The theatre is located between other buildings, on the corner of Rua Gonçalo Sampaio with Avenida da Liberdade; on one of the principal avenues in the city, the Circo is transited by automobile traffic and pedestrian activity.

[1] Its centre is marked, by panel stone, with three arched doors, surmounted by balcony topped by lintel, on large corbels, with wrought iron guard.

[1] The flanking sections of the principal entranceway, also in granite stone, include three arched doorways surmounted by three rectangular windows and sill, with decorative motifs on the lintels.

[1] The south facade, is marked by three arched doors, similarly topped by wrought iron balcony, with rectangular windows and sills with decorative lintel motifs.