Built on the site of a 17th-century playhouse called the 'Fencing School' where English travelling troupes used to perform the Bard, this damn-ugly, black-brick 21st-century hulk of a theatre was purpose-built in 2014 to host the city's famous Shakespeare Festival as well as a year-round venue. The design combines old and new elements – the roof opens to create Globe-style authenticity.
English-language tours of the building run sporadically, usually on days when there's no performance – book online.