Aegidium Cinema

Parvis Saint-Gillies 18,,
Brussels 1060

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Additional Info

Functions: Community Center

Styles: Moorish

Previous Names: Diamont Palace Cinema

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Aegidium Cinema

The Diamont Palace opened in 1905 in the Sint-Gillis district of Brussels. It was first a ‘Salle de Spectacle’ and the auditorium was located one floor up, at first floor level. The foyer and stairs have the feel of entering a grand house, with marble, mirrors and chandeliers all still intact. Seating in the auditorium was provided in stalls and balcony levels. It was a palistered and mirrored auditorium, flanked by Moorish style arches along the walls, with the proscenium flanked by trompe l'oeil paintings.

In 1913 it became a cinema and in 1923 the name was changed to Aegidium Cinema.

After closing in 1979, the auditorium became a furniture repository and this was still operating in 1995 when the Cinema Theatre Association included the building on its visit to the cinemas & theatres of Brussels in September 1995. Adjacent to the building was a ‘Salon’ which was in in use by a theatre group. The cinema is now used as a community centre.

The Aegidium Cinema was described as ‘a rare example of an early Belgian cinema’.

Contributed by Ken Roe

Recent comments (view all 3 comments)

HowardBHaas
HowardBHaas on December 3, 2007 at 11:05 pm

It was a palistered and mirrored auditorium with the proscenium flanked by trompe l'oeil paintings.

Ken,was that still present when you visited?

Ken Roe
Ken Roe on June 7, 2009 at 5:25 pm

Howard, the interior was intact on my September 1995 CTA visit. It could still be the case today.

Here is a May 2009 photograph of the exterior and entrance:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sblackley/3559159674/

mvhl
mvhl on June 24, 2018 at 10:14 pm

The auditorium was closed in 1979. (Saint-Gilles: Huit siècles d'histoire[s]. 1216-2016)

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