Ora cinema, Haifa

Ora cinema is a movie theater in Haifa built in the 1930s with Art Moderne architectural details. The building features colorful ceramic tiles in its bar area and once held more than 1000 seats across different levels.

Architect Oskar Kaufmann designed the building in 1935 with modern entertainment in mind. After a fire damaged it in 1946, architect Eugen Stolzer restored and rebuilt the interior spaces.

The theater served as a social gathering place where residents came to share entertainment and pass their evenings. Its large capacity made it a central meeting point in the city's cultural life.

The building sits at 18 Herzl Street in a central location of Haifa that is easy to reach on foot. Small shops now occupy the space where guests once entered the cinema.

The theater had an unusual layout where the main seating area sat above the foyer, reversing the typical design of older cinemas. This uncommon arrangement allowed the building to fit better into the tight urban space.

Location: Haifa

Founders: Shabtai Levy

Architects: Oskar Kaufmann, Eugen Stolzer

Official opening: 1935

GPS coordinates: 32.80967,34.99917

Latest update: December 14, 2025 18:20