Central Theater Esslingen
The Central at Esslinger Rossmarkt is the oldest surviving cinema in Baden-Württemberg.
History of the house
The building in which the cinema is located was first mentioned in 1629 under the name “Herberge zum Mutton”. It was later renamed "Gasthaus Zum Goldenen Lamm"; the former stables and barns were converted into a distillery and a brewery in the middle of the 19th century; In 1861 the house was extended and in 1913 the theater, which has been a listed building since 1986, with around 300 seats, was set up as the third cinema in Esslingen in the south wing of the building. The north wing with the baroque portal remained an inn.
Today the house also serves as a cultural meeting point and cabaret. Since January 2018, the Verein Künstliche CentralTheater has been operating in the premises with theater, guest performances and workshops.
Furnishing
The cinema was still working with Bauer B-8 projectors until the last screening and is still furnished with the original equipment from the 1950s. The radiator in the round foyer is neo-baroque. Neoclassical stucco ornaments have been preserved behind a wall covering. A press report from the opening praised the effect of the “elegant, architectural color scheme”. Apparently the entire auditorium was originally decorated with wall paintings. The agraffe motif is partly worked out in relief and has been preserved.
From 2005 the Central was renovated. A niche with original painting from 1913 was discovered under the box; The original coffered ceiling and the original projection surface were also exposed. In the course of the renovation efforts, donations were collected by arranging sponsorships for the listed cinema seats, as the funds with which various foundations supported the renovation were insufficient.
literature
- Julius Fekete : The Central Theater in Esslingen. A technical and cultural historical monument from the early days of cinema . In: Preservation of monuments in Baden-Württemberg , 17th year 1988, issue 4, pp. 169–174.
Web links
- German Foundation for Monument Protection ( Memento from March 2, 2010 in the Internet Archive )
Individual evidence
Coordinates: 48 ° 44 ′ 26 " N , 9 ° 18 ′ 18.5" E