Velké Kino, Movie theater in Zlín, Czech Republic.
Velké Kino is a cinema in Zlín with an innovative steel-framed structure that spans several meters without additional supporting beams. The interior has been reconfigured over time to create more space and improve the visitor experience.
The cinema was built in 1932 following a design by architect František Lydie Gahura as part of a modern urban development project. Several forward-thinking buildings were constructed during this period, establishing Zlín as a modern industrial center.
When it opened, the cinema became a gathering place for the community and remains an important venue for shared film experiences. The building reflects the modernist movement that shaped Zlín during the 20th century.
Velké kino faces náměstí Práce in central Zlín, beside the tržnice, Obchodní dům and hotel Zlín. A 2016 survey found the roof, walls and load-bearing structures statically unsound, so since 1 March 2016 the building can only be viewed from outside. Its events moved mainly to the Golden Apple Cinema in the Zlaté jablko centre on náměstí Míru; reconstruction prepared with heritage officials since 2024 obtained a building permit in December 2025.
The cinema's steel structure was welded rather than riveted, the first use of welded steel on this scale in Czechoslovakia. The building was meant as a temporary structure, yet it has stood since 1932. In 2012, a 70 mm projector kept in the lobby was moved back into the projection booth.
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