Standing in front of you is one of the most extraordinary cinema buildings in the world. The Royal Theatre Tuschinski was built at the request of Abraham Tuschinski, a passionate cinema operator who dreamed of creating something truly magnificent. When it opened on 28 October 1921, audiences were immediately captivated.
Tuschinski owned theatres across the Netherlands, but this one was always his masterpiece and one of the most luxurious cinemas in all of Europe. The building itself is a stunning fusion of art nouveau, art deco and the Amsterdam School style, which makes it unlike almost anything else you will encounter on your travels.
During World War II, the theatre was stripped of its name because of Abraham Tuschinski's Jewish heritage. The occupiers renamed it Tivoli, though the cinema continued to run throughout the war, offering audiences a brief escape from the darkness outside. Tragically, Abraham Tuschinski was captured on 1 July 1942, deported to Westerbork, and later murdered in Auschwitz. After liberation, the theatre was returned to his family and has remained a proud symbol of Amsterdam's film culture ever since.
In 2021, Time-Out magazine named it the most beautiful cinema in the world, a title it wears with every reason.
Sources. Story: isgeschiedenis.nl Photos: Photo by Craig Adderley: https://www.pexels.com/photo/stunning-art-deco-exterior-of-pathe-tuschinski-theater-30201044/ Photo 2 & 3: With gratitude to the Stadsarchief Amsterdam for making the attached photographs publicly accessible and preserving the city’s history for all
