Pathe City Theater

The City Theater opened on 29th October 1935 with the Austrian film “Episode” starring Paula Wessely. The architect of this stunning cinema designed in a Dutch Functionalist style was Jan Wils, with interior design by Oscar Rosendahl and it had a seating capacity of 1,350. The City Theater was equipped with a Strunk 4Manual/17Rank theatre organ which was opened by Reginald Foort who came over from England. Another facility was the provision of a café and ballroom.

The City Theater was one of the premier first run cinemas in Amsterdam city centre and is located close to the Leidseplein. In 1972 the use of the organ during regular film shows was stopped and the instrument was only played for special concerts which continued for many years.

In 1973-1974 major construction work was carried out to alter the cinema into 7-screens. City 1 in the former front orchestra stalls has 836 seats and still uses the original proscenium opening and has the organ. The circle was converted into 3 screens, the café/ballroom into a single screen and 2 small screens were converted out of areas in the basement, giving the current seating capacity of 1,505.

The City Theater came under the Cannon Cinemas banner in 1984 and was last operated by Pathe, who refurbished it in 1994. Unfortunately, the splendid Art Deco style façade is now mainly covered with metal sheeting and advertising boards.

On February 1, 2007 the City Theater closed for a renovation. The exterior was restored to its original 1935 appearance. Unfortunately the plans included the sub-division of City 1 auditorium (former front orchestra stalls level) which had the huge screen in its original proscenium opening and contains the Strunk theatre organ (now unplayable). It re-opened in 2011 as an art house cinema, with seven auditoriums and 625 seats.

Recent comments (view all 7 comments)

Ken Roe on September 27, 2005 at 3:42 pm

A photograph of the upper section of the facade here:
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Ken Roe on January 14, 2006 at 9:36 pm

Another shot in the dark:
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Roloff on May 9, 2006 at 12:53 pm

The City will be closed any moment now, for a full restoration that will take up to two years. It will become an art house, with probably less screens, maybe around 4. Hopefully they will change the facade back to what it was like in it’s earlier days.
Here’s a postcard from around 1946 where you can see the original facade:
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droben on February 5, 2007 at 4:09 am

According to the Pathe website, the City closed on Feb 1, 2007 and will reopen in mid 2008.

HowardBHaas on December 11, 2007 at 2:35 pm

The Tuschinski has elements of Art Nouveau and Expressionist, among other designs, but is Art Deco. It is featured in what is just about a centerpiece of the V & A Art Deco book, and is absolutely wonderful.

HowardBHaas on December 12, 2007 at 4:06 am

The Art Deco reference for the City was revised to Dutch Functionalism.

Thanks to Roloff for these 2006 to 2007 photos
Auditorium 1:
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2005 photos Auditorium 1
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Screen 3, added in basement in late 1970’s, closed September 2005
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Screen 4, with many columns, closed for some time before the complex closed for renovation
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Auditorium 5
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Auditorium 7 with his caption
The City was the first cinema in Amsterdam to split it’s original auditorium to become a multiplex. The balcony of the main big auditorium got split into 3 small ones in the late seventies, this one was the last one to be added on March 31st 1977, with 274 seats originally. Rumour has it, the screen can be rolled up so one can view the big screen of the main auditorium again.
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eceleticandveryinspired on October 22, 2013 at 11:22 am

rare 1935 interior shot here:

http://bioscoopgeschiedenis.com/bioscopen/noord-holland/amsterdam/city-theater-amsterdam-1935-heden.html