Empire Cinema or Empire Cine-Theater

Category: Culture and Entertainment > Cinema

District: Lisboa > Lisboa > Lisboa > Arroios

Location

- Located in the parish of Arroios, Lisbon, at the intersection of Alameda Dom Afonso Henriques and Avenida Almirante Reis.

History

- Opened on May 24, 1952, closed on December 31, 1983.

- Currently, it is the headquarters of the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God.

- Classified as a property of public interest in 1996, recognized for its Estado Novo architecture.

Architecture

- Designed by Cassiano Branco, with contributions from other architects.

- Capacity for 1,676 people, distributed in the stalls and two balconies.

- Decorated by artists such as Martins Correia and Luís Dourdil, with a large sculptural group and murals.

Cinema

- It was one of the most prestigious cinemas in Lisbon.

- It screened films by great filmmakers, such as Ingmar Bergman and Federico Fellini.

- In 1972, Estúdio opened, a second room for more daring films.

Music

- Hosted concerts by international artists such as Cliff Richard, Quincy Jones and Count Basie.

- Welcomed important national artists such as Madalena Iglésias and Simone de Oliveira.

- Organized the Portuguese Song Festival in partnership with Emissora Nacional.

Theater and Dance

- Presented several theater and dance companies, including the Lisbon Modern Theater Company.

- Noted for its avant-garde programming and the representation of international plays.

Legacy

- Cine Império had a famous café with the same name, which still exists.

- The Seixas family, the original owner, maintains a connection to the space.

- Avoided the demolition that affected many similar buildings of the time.

Sources: https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinema_Império

License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt