Tag Archives: movie theater

Cine Leonor

Cine Leonor

The once splendid Cinema Leonor, subsequently called Multicine Colonial, was one of the many theaters in the Colonial Zone area. This theatre, at one time showing all the popular films of the time, later turned into a parking garage and now lies abandoned.

The old Cine Leonor on Calle Arzobispo Nouel at 19 de Marzo, Ciudad Colonial, Santo Domingo.
The old Cine Leonor on Calle Arzobispo Nouel at 19 de Marzo, Ciudad Colonial, Santo Domingo.

Cine Leonor

The front entrance to Cine Leonor 1970
The front entrance to Cine Leonor 1970

The Cine Leonor, with its classic Baroque-style facade, inaugurated on August 16, 1956. This first-class cinema had a grand second-floor arcade, large balcony and private seating stalls with retractable seats plus a special area for smokers. The theater was air-conditioned and had a large entrance hall and ticket office.

A view of the second floor arcade of the Multicine Colonial. You can still see some of the name.
A view of the second floor arcade of the Multicine Colonial. You can still see some of the name.

Leonor was a large cinema for its time and held sizable crowds that wanted to come, escape ordinary life, to enjoy a popular movie. During the theater’s heyday there was a Sunday matinee plus their usual schedule showing 2 movies every evening.

A view of the second floor arcade of the Cine Leonor, later La Colonial
A view of the second floor arcade of the Cine Leonor, later La Colonial

Mulitcine Colonial

Multicine Colonial Leonor Teatro El Resplandor (The Shining) on marquis 1980
Multicine Colonial Leonor Teatro El Resplandor (The Shining) on marquis 1980

The new Colonial Cinema was inaugurated on December 25, 1980. Along with the name change, the theater was split into 4 smaller rooms, 2 on the ground floor and 2 on the second floor.

The entrance floor tiles are still visible, Leonor
The entrance floor tiles are still visible, Leonor

The cinema closed in the early 1990s. Now the building is in ruins. They have abandoned the once splendid movie theater turned parking garage. You can still see the name Leonor on the floor tiles at the entrance of the building. Looking inside, it is dark and dismal. I can’t imagine that this derelict building was previously a high-class theater.

The interior of Cine Leone around 1965
The interior of Cine Leone around 1965

Location

– Calle Arzobispo Noel at 19 de Marzo, Ciudad Colonial, Santo Domingo.

reference: https://historiadominicanaengraficas.blogspot.com/


Then & Now – Cine Capitolio

Then & Now / Antes & Ahora – Cine Capitolio is now Capitolio Market Place.

Teatro-Cine Capitolio

Cine Capitolio was built in 1925 by Juan Bautista del Toro, it was the first cinema / movie theater in the Dominican Republic.

Cine Capitolio in 1945. This was the first movie theater in Dominican Republic.
Cine Capitolio in 1945. This was the first movie theater in Dominican Republic.

The theater first showed silent movies, the first was “Los Enemigos de la Mujer”, then progressed to playing “talkies”. When this occurred they lost many movie goers because most of the films were in English. Finally, they presented the Mexican produced film “Charros y Manolas”, the first film they showed in the Spanish language. The theater was back in business and the cine boomed until the mid 1960’s when they closed the doors for good.

Capitolio Market Place

Capitolio Market Place the original home of the Teatro-Cine Capitolio.
Capitolio Market Place the original home of the Teatro-Cine Capitolio.

The building, once named Columbus Plaza, is called Capitolio Market Place. This 3 level gift shop house different retail shops, gift shops, food and cigar vendors and also have a restaurant with a daily buffet.

Location – #206 Calle Arzobispo Meriño not far from Calle El Conde across from the Cathedral of Santo Domingo.

Thank you Imágenes de Nuestra Historia, R.D