Cine en Ballaja
Norzagaray Street,
Ballaja,
San Juan
00907
Norzagaray Street,
Ballaja,
San Juan
00907
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The barracks doesn’t seem to have a street address, but the marker should be moved to the site directly across from the end of the path leading to the Castillo San Felipe del Morro. The building was constructed between 1854 and 1868. It’s huge, and it’s not clear where the theater was.
Cine en Ballajá is presently closed, however I have recently been informed by the owner, Cynthia Wiesner, that the theater is still undergoing negotiations with the Office of Historic Preservation, and that there is a chance it will reopen. Anyone interested in providing support to this cause should send an e-mail to
As for the brush-off on redundant programming, posted here by josem, aside from the the cinema’s unparalleled location, Ballaja was the only theater serving Old San Juan, and it ran a series of completely unique festivals that included works by Chaplin, women filmmakers, independent Puerto Rican cinema and gay cinema. There is presently nothing like this in Puerto Rico, and perhaps outside of Cuba, in the Caribbean.
Cine en Ballaja also had the problem that they were essentially playing the same movies as Fine Arts. And people would rather go there than go through the hassle and traffic problems of Old San Juan.
thanx for the info where did you find the article
Cine en Ballaja will officially close July 31, 2005. A court hearing is set for August 3 to determine whether the cinema will be able to reopen, however given the disputes with the Puerto Rico Office of Historic Preservation, which has failed to meet its contractual obligations for commercial and cultural development of the Ballajá site, it is likely that Puerto Rico will lose this cinematic gem.
pictures of the outside of the Ballaja building can be found here…
View link
and more…
http://juditplace.tripod.com/0b48a270.jpg
you can also take a virtual tour of the barrack as well as it’s beautifull courtyard here…
View link