Cinema Doré

Cinema · Landmark and historical place

The Doré cinema is located in Madrid (Spain), on Calle Santa Isabel, number 3. It was inaugurated in December 1912, although the current façade dates from 1923 (a 1922 project by the architect Críspulo Moro Cabeza). It was renovated by Manuel López-Mora Villegas in 1925. For half a century it managed to resist the opening of new and modern cinematographers and the socioeconomic decline of the Antón Martín area. Transformed into a re-release room, it ended up receiving the popular nickname of the palace of pipes. When it was feared for its survival, the Ministry of Culture came to the rescue, planning to recover it for its activities. Since 1989 it has been the exhibition room of the Spanish Film Library, where its public sessions are held. A careful reform allowed to recover the beautiful facade and the main room. In addition, another projection room was opened in the basement and exhibitions can be held on the terrace. In the lobby of the complex there is a cafeteria and a bookstore specialized in cinematographic themes. Origin of the name There are three versions of the reason for choosing the name Doré: First of all, it is very likely that the initial name of "Salón Doré" was for choosing a French word that would give it a certain distinction. At the beginning of the 20th century, the French language was the international language of culture. For the same reason, in Barcelona there was already the "Gran Salón Cine Doré", on the Rambla de Catalunya, between 1908 and 1922, with a spectacular modernist façade. Another possibility is that the name was a tribute to the French artist, printmaker and illustrator Gustave Doré. Finally, subjectively, in the opinion of the writer Sánchez Dragó, its name could have been Cine DO-RE. In the book-catalog of the exhibition "Madrid al paso", there is a view of the facade around 1964, in which it seems that the two syllables of the name of the cinema are separated.