Cinema Le Plaza
Rue de Chantepoulet 1-3,
Geneva
1201
Rue de Chantepoulet 1-3,
Geneva
1201
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Le Plaza (Official)
Additional Info
Architects: Marc-Joseph Saugey
Firms: FdMP Architects
Styles: Streamline Moderne
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The Cinema Le Plaza was opened in November 1952 with Fernandel in “Le Petit Mond de Don Camillo” (aka “The Little World of Don Camillo”), directed by Julien Duvivier. and was designed by architect Marc-Joseph Saugey in a Streamline Moderne style. He also designed the adjacent Mont-Blanc Centre building. Seating was provided for 1,280-seats, with 860-seats in the orchestra level and 420-seats in the balcony. In 1953 it was the first cinema in Switzerland to be equipped with CinemaScope, screening Charlton Heston in “The Robe”. It was closed on 24th January 2004, and was stripped of its seats and equipment and lay abandoned awaiting its fate. There were plans to demolish and create a car parking lot, then these plans were changed to build a shopping centre on the site. Again, this was abandoned due to public interest to retain the building which gained over 11,000 signatures. It was given Listed Building status in 2009, but was declassified in 2011. Demolition was threatened in 2018.
In 2019 the building was purchased by the Fondation Hans Wilsdorf, with plans to restore it as a 750-seat cinema which will have 650-seats in the orchestra and 100-seats in the balcony. There will also be a bookstore, library and restaurant. Restoration is being carried out by architectural firm FdMP Architects. Restoration work was well ahead of schedule when a disastrous fire badly damaged the building on the early morning of 19th August 2023.
Despite being a roofless shell, it was decided to continue the renovation which will restore everything back to its original opening splendour. The reopening of the Cinema Le Plaza is planned for Autumn 2026. The plans include an additional 80-seat second screen located in the basement and a 20-room Hotel-Cinema located above the cinema on the first floor of the Mont-Blanc building. Each room will have specially selected films available which can be viewed by the occupants.
On 20th June 2024 the La Plaza name sign was reinstated on the front of the building.
Contributed by
Ken Roe
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Recent comments (view all 1 comments)
This was the roadshow showplace when I lived in Geneva…Three aisles…huge screen I am guessing 700 + seats…Saw Rod Steiger in Waterloo, Alec Guinness as Hitler (some kind of theme there), Fiddler on the Roof, Twiggy The Boy Friend, Mad Max 1, Louis de Funes in his Gendarme film there…Mondays and Tuesdays films were shown in OV (Original Version) so English usually…French the rest of the week Lots of room inside for hand painted coming attraction posters and very oddly a coming attraction displayed across the front of the proscenium…For better or for worse they do not make them like this anymore