It has various Art Deco elements, with its facade clearly influenced by American skyscrapers and entertainment venues of the interwar period.
Home > Athens > Architecture > Centre > Other architectural orders > Rex Cinema- Theatre
The Rex Cinema-Theatre (official name “Sikiaridio Hall of Spectacles”) is a 33.9m-high building of reinforced concrete. It has two towers, emphasizing its vertical dimensions. It has various Art Deco elements, with its facade clearly influenced by American skyscrapers and entertainment venues of the interwar period.
It was the first important entertainment centre of the city. It consists of three venues: the basement, which was built as a ballroom but eventually became a 582-seat room for children’s and current affairs films; the ground floor, the movie theatre Rex with a 1,572 seat capacity; and the 1,160-seat Kotopouli Theatre on the first floor, the biggest of its time. Today, the ground floor operates as an entertainment venue and the other two stages as branches of the National Theatre. The building has a luxurious interior design and special insulation for best acoustics in all venues. The arrangement of the successive halls by Vassileios Kassandras and Leonidas Bonis has received high praise in world literature.
Archaeology of the city of Athens, (d.u.), Κινηματοθέατρο “Rex”, [“Rex” cinema- theatre], EIE,
http://www.eie.gr/archaeologia/gr/arxeio_more.aspx?id=195
Last visit 5/5/2013
Technical Chamber of Greece, (2000), Κέντρο Θεαμάτων Ρεξ- Κοτοπούλη- Σινεάκ, [Spectacle Centre Rex- Kotopouli- Cineak], in Athens 2000,
http://www.culture2000.tee.gr/ATHENS/GREEK/main2.html
Last visit 5/5/2013
1935 Start of construction.
1935 Completion.
1982 Fire causes major damage. The building is listed as a landmark.
1987 It falls under the responsibility of the Ministry of Culture.
Share