Painting, sculpture, theatre and cinema in Xanthi of the «Belle Époque»
This route is about 1 km, about 50 minutes and of moderate difficulty. The visitor will have the opportunity to get a taste of the arts, as expressed in Xanthi during the so-called Belle Époque period (1871-1914). Among the few surviving examples are the neoclassical statue in the courtyard of the church of Agios Georgios, the frescoes with Bavarian or German landscapes in the houses of Kougioumtzoglou, Stavropoulos and Michaloglou, the painted goddesses from the twelve Gods in the Metaxas Mansion and the ceiling paintings with decorative and floral motifs in Daniel's Grand Maison, the Moses Mansion and other mansions of Old Xanthi. All these works worthily represent the artistic flourishing of the period in the city.

In fact, the visitor passing by the site where once stood the theater "Apollo" and the cinema "Elysée", can imagine the performances of the time and the people who performed the various roles, such as the French actress Sarah Bernhardt who is said to have appeared in "Apollo".

21. Mega Kin Cinema

Brief documentation:

At the beginning of the 20th century, the Mega Kin cinema was created in Xanthi, which is considered one of the first cinemas in the European part of the Ottoman Empire. The building that housed the cinema was probably built in 1905 and was used from the beginning for this purpose. Initially, it seems that the cinema belonged to an Ottoman, while in 1911 it became the property of Victor Fernández, director of the Commercial Company of Salonica. Its operation continued in the following decades. From the early 1930s it took the name Elysée. In 1978 it was bought by Aikaterini (b.1935), wife of Ioannis Filippidis. The building, after its resale, functioned as a nightclub, while it is no longer used.
It is a large-volume, simple but imposing tiled building, which is constructed in Art Nouveau and Art Deco style. The south side of the building rests on a massive retaining wall, which enhanced the stability of the building, as an older secondary bed of the river Kosynthos passed through that point, which was drained in 1914. On the same side the building had a decorative turret on the roof, which is not preserved today.
Externally, geometric lines dominate, with small decorative embossed elements in Art Nouveau and Art Deco style. The interior of the building consists of a single large projection hall with an elevated stage, as well as for theatrical performances.


Category of thematic interest:  ARCHITECTURAL / HISTORICAL INTEREST


History:

At the beginning of the 20th century, the Mega Kin cinema was created in Xanthi, which is considered one of the first cinemas in the European part of the Ottoman Empire. The building that housed the cinema was probably built in 1905 and was used from the beginning for this purpose. Initially, it seems that the cinema belonged to an Ottoman, while in 1911 it became the property of Victor Fernández, director of the Commercial Company of Salonica. Its operation continued in the following decades. From the early 1930s it took the name Elysée. In 1978 it was bought by Aikaterini (b.1935), wife of Ioannis Filippidis. The building, after its resale, functioned as a nightclub, while it is no longer used.


Elements of architecture:

It is a large-volume, simple but imposing tiled building, which is constructed in Art Nouveau and Art Deco style. The south side of the building rests on a massive retaining wall, which enhanced the stability of the building, as an older secondary bed of the river Kosynthos passed through that point, which was drained in 1914. On the same side the building had a decorative turret on the roof, which is not preserved today.


Description of other elements:

Externally, geometric lines dominate, with small decorative embossed elements in Art Nouveau and Art Deco style. The interior of the building consists of a single large projection hall with an elevated stage, as well as for theatrical performances.


Purpose - Use: Cultural site


Characterization: Preservable, Institution of the Ministry of Culture, Decision DILAP/C/776/12456, Government Gazette 215/88


Dating (period): Early 20th century


Year of construction: Early 20th century


Location of the monument: 41.14318000765746, 24.888246075441664


Bibliographic references:

•    Katsari-Vafiadis, J. Ed. 2023. "History and recording of the neoclassical buildings of the traditional settlement". Xanthi: Municipality of Xanthi, p. 95
•    Thomas Exarchou, Islets Polis Xanthi 2, P.A.KE.THRA., Xanthi 2003
•    Stefanos Ioannidis, "Xanthi 1870 – 1920. Elements from its history", Thracian Chronicles, tx. 36 (1981), pp. 11 – 42 


 Address: Vas. Sofias 7A and Pindarou 2


Visitable: No

 

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