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Work of the architect
Manel Joaquim Raspall, of 1913, it opened its doors in 1899, with the name "La Pajarera Catalana" (the Catalan Birdcage), and was a cabaret transgressor, with the capacity to create their own shows and dodge the censorship in the most difficult era.
In this cabaret the most famous vedettes of all of Spain performed. In 1908 it was baptized the "Petit Moulin Rouge" (Little Moulin Rouge), for its imitation of the famous Parisian cabaret, but with the arrival of the dictatorship, the French name and the word "rouge" (red), were banned, leaving till these days the name "El Molino" (The Windmill).
Since then and up to the 90's, it bet on the genre of the magazine, until it closed its doors in 1997 due to some management problems, the crisis affected the venues of the Paral.lel, that then the major number of stage offerings were concentrated there and even even known as the "la calle del teatro" (theatre street) of Europe.
For so long there has been a platform of entities, artists and citizens that are demanding the opening of the venue and reclaiming the help of officials necessary for such, and avoid the demolishment of the building. The façade as well as the stage are catalogued by the City Council of Barcelona as a historic and artistic patrimony of the city.
Artists that performed in this theatre: Granito de Sal, Condesita Zoe and Lola Montiel, Bella Dorita (´40´s and ´50´s), Lander i Leanna, Mirko, Johnson, Escamillo, Pipper, Gardenia Pulido and Mary Mistral ('60's and '70's),
Amparo Moreno, La Maña and Merche Mar ('80's till '97).
El Molino also was a stage to numerous films, like the 'Las alegres chicas de El Molino' (1977) – The happy girls of The Windmill -, shot by José Antonia de la Loma in the interior of the venue, starring Christa Leem and Pipper, or 'El extranjer-oh! de la calle de la Cruz del Sur' (1987) – The foreigner-oh! of the Cruz del Sur (South Cross)street - , by Jorge Grau and featured José Sacristán,
Emma Cohen, Teresa Gimpera and Gabino Diego.