Sao Jorge Cinema

Avenida da Liberdade 175,
Lisbon 1250

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: C.I.C., Rank Organisation

Architects: Fernando Silva

Functions: Movies (Film Festivals), Movies (First Run)

Styles: Streamline Moderne

Phone Numbers: Box Office: 35121.310.3400
Manager: 35121.310.3410

Nearby Theaters

Sao Jorge Cinema

The Sao Jorge (St. George) Cinema was built between 1947 and 1950, opening on 24th February 1950 with the British made film “The Red Shoes” starring Moira Shearer. The cinema was a project by the British film company The Rank Organisation, built to showcase their films. It was to be called the Odeon, but this name was already taken by another cinema in Lisbon.

The architect was Fernando Silva who designed a lavish Art Deco style cinema seating 1,827 on orchestra and balcony levels, which at the time was the largest cinema on the Iberian peninsula. It was equipped with Lisbon’s only cinema organ; a Compton ‘Theatrone’ electronic organ (the 3 Manual console came from the bomb damaged Regal Cinema, Bexleyheath, England) and was opened by noted British organist Gerald Shaw.

The Sao Jorge Cinema was ‘tripled’ in 1982 with 845 seats in the former balcony and two 250 seat cinemas in the orchestra level. The organ was removed at this time. A couple of years later the Rank Organisation sold the cinema to C.I.C. and they continued to operate it for many years.

Eventually it was closed and after negotiations it was taken over by the City of Lisbon Council who renovated and re-opened it in 2007.

Contributed by KenRoe

Recent comments (view all 11 comments)

Ken Roe
Ken Roe on August 13, 2005 at 8:15 am

Exterior photo of the Sao Jorge Cinema here:
View link

Inside balcony lobby here:
View link

Pauliano
Pauliano on September 7, 2005 at 12:23 am

Photos avaliable on View link
(click on “Imagens”)

Pauliano
Pauliano on September 7, 2005 at 10:52 pm

São Jorge has currently 3 screens, and is closed for repairs, nobody knows what for are those repairs. we all hope that city council, who owns the place, will keep his promise of reopening São Jorge with just 1 screen, as in the past, and if possible with the organ. We hope…

HowardBHaas
HowardBHaas on October 3, 2007 at 5:54 am

2007 exterior photo:
View link

A friend of mine recently saw movie there, maybe as part of a film festival. In 1996, I saw a movie in the large upstairs auditorium.

HowardBHaas
HowardBHaas on October 3, 2007 at 6:31 am

Sketch of exterior:
View link

scroll down for photo of Ceiling of auditorium:
http://lisbondailyphoto.blogspot.com/

Photo of modernist urinals in Cinema Sao Jorge
http://www.urinal.net/cinema_sao_jorge/

woody
woody on July 16, 2008 at 2:52 am

exterior shots July 2008 looking immaculate
exterior
View link
View link

lobby
View link

HowardBHaas
HowardBHaas on July 28, 2009 at 5:33 pm

interior photos including upstairs, main screen:
View link

sv
sv on February 28, 2017 at 4:14 am

Hi, has anybody any idea where the organ exactly is nowadays? Thank you.

HowardBHaas
HowardBHaas on February 28, 2017 at 5:00 am

by accident, unsubscribed so reversing that now.

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