Ruben Dario National Theatre (Teatro Nacional Ruben Dario)

Funded with a special tax on coffee, and modeled on the Paris Opera House, this neo-baroque theater features marble floors and columns; numerous sculptures, including busts of Beethoven and Chopin; and a painted fresco on the main auditorium's ceiling meant to suggest the majesty of the Sistine chapel.

The construction of the theater seemed to be a comedy of errors. First, a tax on coffee was made to pay for the theater, which was the main export of the time, and upset many local planters. Next, there were several problems during construction, which led the process to take about seven years.

Since its inaugural performance of Fausto de Gounod in 1897, Teatro Nacional has been the epicenter of the city's fine arts scene including opera, symphony, and other performing arts. Your ticket includes a 35-minute guided tour, offered every hour in English or Spanish.