Cinema Extravaganza, Portugal

Cinema Extravaganza is a small Portuguese cinema and theatre. Today, it is in a poor state of repair after over 15 years of abandonment. We visited the cinema in the summer of 2017, as part of our Portugal 2017 Tour.

About Cinema Extravaganza

This cinema was built in the late 1940s. There is very little history available for this location.

This was a venue for both theatrical and cinematic entertainment; a Cine-Teatro. There were around 230 seats, spread over two floors. There was also a bar area for customers to enjoy pre- or post-performance drinks.

Portugal had remained neutral during World War Two, and so the Post-War period in Portugal was a relatively undisturbed time. Cinema Extravaganza features arcitecture styles indicative of a transition period. While traditional Portuguese elements are present (i.e the round windows), there are also more modern features.

Closure and decay

This cinema clearly enjoyed many decades of success. However, Cine-Teatro have fallen out of favour in recent years. The last theatrical production graced the stage shortly after the turn of the 21st Century. In recent years, the cinema has been listed for sale. The cost listed was over 570,000 EUR. However, this listing has since disappeared. Perhaps, a buyer appeared. Or, the current owners simply give up hope. A regeneration project estimated it would cost around 6,000,000 EUR to renovate Cinema Extravaganza.