Capitol Cinema
Boulevardul Regina Elisabeta 36,
Bucharest
030167
Boulevardul Regina Elisabeta 36,
Bucharest
030167
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Additional Info
Functions: Restaurant
Styles: Art Deco
Previous Names: Cinema Clasic, Teatrul de vara Alhambra, Teatrul de vara Capitol, I.C. Frimu Cinema
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Located on the once fashionable Boulevardul Regina Elisabeta. The Cinema Clasic opened on 26th May 1912. At the rear of the cinema on Strada Constantin Mille is an open-air cinema named Teatrul de vara Alhambra which opened in May 1916. This open air cinema has a magnificent Baroque style facade and an equally splendid Baroque style proscenium and was designed by architect Nicolae Nenciulescu.
The Cinema Clasic was remodeled in an Art Deco style in 1938 and was re-named Cinema Capitol. The open-air cinema was re-named Teatrul de vara Capitol, but retained its Baroque style of architecture. In 1947 the Cinema Capitol was taken over by the Communist government and was renamed I.C Frimu Cinema. In 1977 it went back to its Cinema Capitol name.
It had closed by Summer of 2002 and stood empty and unused. The open-air cinema was in use in the summer of 2008, but has since closed and is in a derelict state, as is the indoor Cinema Capitol. The foyer of the Cinema Capitol went into retail use as an Outlet clothing store. In August 2018 it is in use as a restaurant.
Contributed by
Ken Roe
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Recent comments (view all 3 comments)
The Capitol Cinema, photographed in January 2006:
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Close-up of the facade in March 2009:
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A photograph of a former entrance to the Capitol Cinema. This was possibly the front stalls entrance at the rear of the building, as it has a small paybox:
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Despite the date in the camera information, I took these photos in May 2013. According to a “Monument Istoric” plaque on the exterior, the Capitol opened in 1912, the first purpose-built cinema on Regina Elisabeta Blvd. There was a “summer garden” (open air cinema?) at the rear, accessed through an elaborate entrance on Constantin Mille Street.