The National Theatre sits like a concrete fortress on London's South Bank, and honestly, it's one of those buildings you either love or find brutally ugly. I've grown to appreciate Denys Lasdun's 1976 design over the years – there's something honest about its raw concrete that feels properly theatrical.

What struck me most during my visit to the National Theatre was the sheer scale of the operation. Three different spaces house completely different experiences: the Olivier Theatre wraps around you with over 1,100 seats in an amphitheater style, while the Lyttelton feels more traditional with 890 seats. The smallest, the Dorfman, creates an intimate atmosphere with just 400 seats. Each has its own personality.

Laurence Olivier founded this company back in 1963, though they spent their early years at The Old Vic before moving here. Walking through the concrete corridors, you sense the weight of that history. The building might look stark from outside, but inside it buzzes with activity – rehearsal rooms, workshops, multiple bars and restaurants spread across different levels.

The foyers deserve mention too. They're massive concrete caverns that somehow work as social spaces. People gather before shows, during intervals, sometimes just to hang out. The bookshop tucked away inside stocks an impressive collection of plays and theatre books.

One thing that sets this place apart is their National Theatre Live program – they film productions and broadcast them to cinemas worldwide. It's brilliant if you can't make it to Londres in person, though nothing beats experiencing a show in these actual spaces.

The programming runs deep, from Shakespeare to brand new works. They produce about 25 shows annually across the three theatres, and many transfer to the West End or tour internationally. Some productions have traveled as far as Australia and China.

Discover all the secrets of the National Theatre with our comprehensive Londres audio guide – it really helps you understand how this concrete giant became such a vital part of British theatre.

Standing on the Thames-side terraces after a show, looking across at the city lights, you realize this brutalist building has earned its place in London's cultural landscape. It's not pretty, but it works.