Cinema Capitol

Via 20 Settembre 97,
Rome 00187

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Additional Info

Architects: F. Dinelli, K.H. Gunther

Functions: Bank

Previous Names: Cinema Stadium

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Located in the Palazzio di Vetro (Palace of Glass) which was built in 1940 (and was so futuristic, it looks like a 1980’s building). The ground floor originally contained the CIM department store. In the basement was the 1,100-seat Cinema Stadium. In 1949 it was re-named Cinema Capitol. It was an air conditioned theatre.

The Cinema Capitol was the first in Continental Europe to have stereophonic sound installed when Richard Burton in “The Robe” opened on 27th November 1953. The CinemaScope screen was 45 feet wide. The Cinema Capitol was closed in 2003.

On the sixth floor of the building was the Arcobaleno Theatre, a small 250-seat cinema which screened films in their original languages (in Italy, films are mostly dubbed into Italian), and in the 1950’s it was very popular with Americans living in and visiting the city.

Today, the department store & cinemas have closed and the building is now a branch of the Bank of Italy.

Contributed by Ken Roe

Recent comments (view all 2 comments)

Gerald A. DeLuca
Gerald A. DeLuca on August 22, 2019 at 8:07 am

On December 6, 1949 the film Riso amaro (Bitter Rice) opened here and at the Cinema Corso.

Gerald A. DeLuca
Gerald A. DeLuca on August 23, 2019 at 7:07 am

It seems this place was also called the Stadium. Under that name, on May 18, 1940, the program listed in Il Messaggero was of a stage show: “Ultima recita – Sulla scena: Grande Varieta'.”

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