Two old Athens cinemas await site restoration to reopen

The building that housed them fell victim to arson by extremist rioters in 2012

It will be a long time before the venerable Attikon and Apollon cinemas in central Athens will open again to the public.

The building that housed them fell victim to arson by extremist rioters in 2012 and, though the cinemas themselves had somehow survived, the facade facing Stadiou Street was completely destroyed.

Before the energy crisis the cost of restoring the building had been estimated at 23 million euros, but plans for a redevelopment of the block, including building a hotel, complicate the project.

Hopes that some foundation would underwrite it have not materialized.