Cinerama, Rotterdam

Cinerama stands as a prominent cinema located in the heart of Rotterdam. In the past, the edifice known as Cinerama on Westblaak had served as the home of Scala Cinema, a venerable Rotterdam theater that fell victim to bombing during World War II. Following the war, Scala found its temporary residence in the newly constructed LuTuSca theater. In 1957, Scala was revived within this new setting. However, this location soon underwent a transformation, evolving into what we now know as the true Cinerama cinema.

Cinerama distinguished itself as the sole original 3-strip theater in the Netherlands, characterized by its uniquely deep-curved and louvered screen. Its inauguration took place on July 15, 1960, showcasing the momentous film "THIS IS CINERAMA."

Over time, the 3-strip Cinerama era declined. The theater then switched to the single-strip 70mm Cinerama system, similar to Amsterdam's, which started in 1965. There was a brief return of the 3-strip format in the Seventies. The Amsterdam theater's projectionist went to Rotterdam to learn about the system, as Amsterdam wanted to attract audiences. Unfortunately, this revival wasn't successful. In 1980, Cinerama expanded to a 5-screen complex with four new small auditoriums.

In 2000, the building's ownership changed hands to the exhibitor Maatschappij voor Cinegrafie, who undertook the renovation of the smaller auditoriums. Notably, the grand original Cinerama auditorium was subdivided into three separate auditoriums. This transformation solidified its standing as the largest Art House cinema in the Netherlands, a distinction it holds to this day. With a combined seating capacity of 1057, it remains one of the most capacious in the country.