The Central Council for Architecture of the Ministry of Environment and Energy adopted a decision on the characterization of the use cinemas IDEAL and ASTOR as trustee.

The Board, at its meeting last Friday, reviewed the history of the two cinemas and the procedure carried out, the opinions of the authorities involved, the objections submitted and the opinions of the competent services.

KESA has classified the use of the historic IDEAL cinema, which operates in a building adjacent to three other surviving buildings (the German Archaeological Institute in Athens, the Prokesch Von Osten building, the former Greek Conservatory, and the Schliemann Mel Palace), as preserved.

Other uses will be allowed in IDEAL.

Use of other cultural uses, as well as use of the Convention Center, will be permitted in the cinema’s retained use areas. The approval of the Central Board of Architecture is accompanied by conditions regarding the proposal of the master plan for the land plot by Eleftherios Venizelos. (University 46).

The use of the historic ASTOR cinema, which operates on the first floor of a seven-story building that has been declared mothballed and “a work of art”, has also been classified as mothballed.

Chronicles

Last November, cinema owners expressed concern about the future of the two historic cinemas, but a related statement from EFKA reassured those responsible: “There are no changes in the use of Aello, Astor and Ideal cinemas.” (…) with respect to the cinema Astor, organization planning is already underway so that the cinema does not change its purpose, the rest of the building will be used by the investor and for the shop on the ground floor. The first studies, which have already been carried out by the competent departments of e-EFKA, show that this is possible.”

At the end of the same month, positions on maintaining the use of the two halls were strengthened unanimous decision of the Municipality of Athenswhich emphasized their historical and cultural value.

This issue was brought up for discussion in KESA following a letter sent in December 2022 by the Minister of Culture and Sports, Lina Mendoni, to the Minister of Environment and Energy, Kostas Skrekas, since, based on the existing institutional framework, the authority to declare conservation uses belongs to
exclusively to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

According to Law 4858/2021 (on the protection of antiquities and cultural heritage in general), The Ministry of Culture and Sports is only responsible for characterizing the use of an object only if the latter has been designated as a monument.an archaeological site or historical site in accordance with the provisions of the aforementioned law.

Separate cinemas “Ideal” and “Astor”, did not meet the requirements defined by the relevant law, so that they can be classified as monuments and come under the enhanced protection of a specific law.