Monumental Cinema Teatro & Satellite

Praca Duque de Saldanha 1,
Lisbon 1050-094

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Additional Info

Architects: Raul Rodrigues Lima

Styles: Art Deco

Previous Names: Monumental Cinema Teatro

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Plans were approved in 1946 to build this ‘monumental’ twin Cinema & Teatro, the work of architect Raul Rodrigues Lima. The Teatro with 1,086 seats was opened on 8th November 1951 with Laura Alves starring in the operetta “The Three Waltzes”. The Cinema had 1,967 seats and opened with Burt Lancaster & Virginia Mayo in “The Flame and the Arrow”.

The building took up a whole city block and seating in the large Cinema auditorium was on orchestra level with two balconies above. The Cinema was equipped to screen 70mm movies and films such as “Ben Hur”, “My Fair Lady”, “West Side Story” and “2001: A Space Odessy” all had long runs here. The Teatro hosted concerts by singers Charles Aznavour, Sylvie Vartan & Rita Pavone.

On 25th February 1971 a small 208 seat cinema named Satellite was opened on the top floor of the building with Romy Schneider in “Les choses de la vie”.

By the early-1980’s the building was playing to small audiences and it was decided it should be demolished and was not worthy of retaining. There was great pressure put on the ‘powers that be’ to save the building from destruction. All this came to nothing and the last show at the Teatro was “Pai Pre-se” starring Laura Alves, which began its run on 30th September 1982. The Teatro screened its final film on 27th November 1983 and all equipment was removed. The building was demolished in 1984.

The current 4 screen Monumental Cinema with its shops & offices, located at Edifico Monumental, Praca Duque de Saldanha is built on the site of the Monumental Cinema Teatro. This new cinema screened independent and European art house movies and was closed in 2000.

Contributed by KenRoe

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Recent comments (view all 6 comments)

Pauliano on September 7, 2005 at 1:27 am

Eden and Monumental were the two major cinemas. Unfortunately, both were forgotten by the city councils, and if Internet has come earlier maybe now both could still be there with us.

The current cinemas has nothing to do with the old cinema, just the place. Now, the building hosts a shopping center and lots of firms and even residentials.