The former Lviv cinema in Wrocław has been falling into disrepair for years. The last screening took place here in 2011, and plans to renovate the modernist building fell through. Today, the building on Hallera Avenue stands empty, with broken windows and a dilapidated and scarred façade. If the situation does not change, the monument may suffer irreversible degradation.
Lviv cinema and its history
The striking building was constructed in 1924-1925 as the headquarters of the Odd Fellows organisation. From the very beginning, the building was distinguished by its modern form and original details. After the organisation was dissolved by the Nazi authorities in the 1930s, the building was converted into a cinema. After the war, the Przodownik cinema operated here, which was renamed Lviv in the 1980s. The cinema had a seating capacity of around 500, and screenings could also be watched from the balcony. For years, it was one of the most important cultural venues in the southern part of Wrocław.
Wrocław Modernism
The designer was Adolf Rading, a German architect associated with the Wrocław modernist community. Rading belonged to a group of artists who shaped the modern image of the city in the interwar period. His oeuvre includes, among others, the villa of Doctor Kriebel on Karol Lipiński Street, considered one of the most outstanding works of modernism in Wrocław. We wrote about it HERE. The building on Hallera Street has retained many of its original design elements, including the characteristic balcony and façade detail. In addition, the building is entered in the register of monuments, which imposes an obligation on the owners to preserve its historical value.
Lions cinema in Wrocław – plans
After the cinema closed in 2011, the venue was owned by Odra Film, which sold it to Platinium Wellness. The new owner announced that a fitness centre would be built in the place of the former cinema hall. The concept envisaged a major reconstruction of the interiors, to which the provincial conservation officer objected strongly. The authorities did not accept the changes to, among other things, the balcony, considering them incompatible with the historical character of the building. Following this decision, the investor withdrew from talks with officials. In 2022, the building was taken over by Verdano Investment from Krakow. The current investor does not comment on plans for the property and avoids contact with the media. We wrote to him to ask about his plans for the monument, but by the time this article was published we had not received a response.
Source: wroclaw.pl, tuwroclaw.com
Read also: Architecture in Poland | >Monument | History | >Wrocław
