KINO FORUM, HISTÓRIA VÝSTAVBY A OBNOVA
FORUM MOVIE THEATRE, CONSTRUCTION HISTORY AND RENOVATION

Summary/Abstract: At the time of construction of the new modernmovie theatre in step with cinema technologyadvancements of the day, there were four movie theatres in operation in the city of Kosice: the wellknown “Bio-radio” theatre a.k.a. Urania theatre at Namestie osloboditelov square (renovation and alteration of 1924), Korzo theatre on Hlavna Street established in 1914 in the handsome art-noveau venue of the ex-Big Casino (“Velke kasino”), Central theatre from 1923 in what used to be a Czechoslovakian House and Apollo theatre in the multi-purpose room of the Catholic Apprenticeship League House (“Dom tovarišského katolíckeho spolku) at the corner of Moyzes and Timon Streets, opened on Christmas 1926. Commission to design a new Forum movie theatre building on 59 Hlavna St. was granted in 1926 to a young and ambitious architect named Ľudovít Oelschläger. The construction was undertaken by Ing. Hugo Kabos local construction company, commencing on Dec. 1, 1926, with completion on Nov. 3, 1927. Modern multi-purpose operation of the theatre, sensitively integrated with the historic town hall, fullfilled all the requirements of the time for a well-functioning and pleasant environment in this emerging social phenomenon. Efficient floor plan and form of the building resembling a simple layout of a Christian Church, located in the heart of the historic core of Kosice, combined with an exceptionally impressive artistic design of both the exterior and interior is all in all a valuable monument of modern architecture. The theatre building at the time of renovation in 2004 was registered in the Slovak central list of immovable cultural heritage and as such it was to be protected during the renovation process as a whole, including its unique and at the time very progressiveHVAC system. Its sensitive restoration was to go hand in hand with its new and full-fledged functioning. Positive aspect of the renovation was also a quality restoration work on both the interior and exterior.

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