Trutnov is preparing to renovate the heritage-protected cinema

Trutnov – The thirty-thousand-strong town of Trutnov is preparing a reconstruction of the Vesmír cinema for nearly 100 million crowns. The renovation of the building from 1928, which is a cultural monument, should start this year and could be completed by mid-2022. The most significant change compared to the current state will be the creation of two screening rooms in the cinema. After last year's renovation of the outdoor swimming pool for 75 million crowns, this will be another significant investment in the town.

"In the mid-1970s, the building underwent extensive reconstruction, but today it is already outdated, and if we want to offer Trutnov audiences comfort and a pleasant experience of watching films, we must invest in it," said Mayor Ivan Adamec (ODS) regarding the planned reconstruction.

The mass of the building, the basic division of the facade, and the architecturally exceptional shell ceiling in the hall have been preserved from the 1920s. "However, the auditorium of the hall is not original and does not meet current needs, so it will be completely demolished and replaced with a new one," said the architect of the reconstruction, Michal Rosa.

The new auditorium with new seats will have a capacity of 256 spectators compared to the nearly 400 seats currently available. The second hall will be created on the second floor and will have a capacity of 39 viewers. The cinema will be barrier-free, with larger restrooms and snack areas. The facade will have a white color instead of red and will return to its original division. The aluminum roofing and window frames will be grey.

The city hall is now preparing a tender for a construction company, which could be known in the spring. Actual work could begin around the end of May and June and should last about a year. The city estimates the reconstruction costs at 96 million crowns, with 45 million to be spent this year and the remainder next year.

According to city leadership, the town's revenues allow for the investment in the cinema. "We already know the city’s financial results for 2020, and according to the first two months of this year, the revenues from budget-designated taxes look promising. Thanks to this, we have allowed ourselves to make changes to the budget and incorporate most of the investments we plan for this year," said Adamec.

A significant investment in the cinema was recently made by the seventeen-thousand-strong town of Jičín. In 2018, the city opened the Biograf Český ráj after its renovation. The builders restored it to resemble its appearance from the 1920s. The renovation of the cinema cost 40 million crowns. The capacity of the hall was reduced from 310 to 155 seats. Builders moved the projection room and expanded the foyer to the upper floor, also modifying the surrounding public spaces.