Historic building now a culture center
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Anatolia News Agency
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Mart 06, 2009 00:00
HATAY - After 35 years as a movie theater, a building originally built by a French architect as a movie theater in 1927 in the southeastern city of Hatay, which also served as the Hatay Assembly of State and municipality hall, has been restored by a businessman and turned into a culture center.
Mehmet Güney, the executive board chairman of the company that restored the building, said the Ampir (Daytime) Movie Theater, built by French architect Leon Benju as the first movie theater in the city, was bought by Hacı Muhammet in Adalı in 1927. When Hatay gained its independence in 1938, the movie theater became the Hatay Assembly of State.
"The 40-member assembly building, where the first meeting was held Sept. 2, 1938, served as a municipal hall for nine months," Günay said. "When Hatay joined the country July 23, 1939, the Ampir Movie Theater brought the world films to the city until 1970s. But later on, the building began to be used for different aims and turned into an enterprise where erotic movies were screened."
Not proper for Hatay
Güney said it was not proper for a city like Hatay to have a former assembly building be used for erotic films, adding that with restoration work they tried to return the building to its old magnificent days.
He said they rented the building for 20 years and spent 1.5 million Turkish Liras for the restoration. "The historic assembly building, which is located in the city center, was in a desperate situation. Some should have taken a step for the building and I started working. First of all, we changed the seats. After a period of two years, the building is now a proper place for the city," he said.
Güney said the historic building would serve as a culture and art center from then on. "With capacity for 500 people, our goal is to host theater plays, concerts and important wedding ceremonies. We will open a caf where people have not entered for many years," he said.
"The 40-member assembly building, where the first meeting was held Sept. 2, 1938, served as a municipal hall for nine months," Günay said. "When Hatay joined the country July 23, 1939, the Ampir Movie Theater brought the world films to the city until 1970s. But later on, the building began to be used for different aims and turned into an enterprise where erotic movies were screened."
Not proper for Hatay
Güney said it was not proper for a city like Hatay to have a former assembly building be used for erotic films, adding that with restoration work they tried to return the building to its old magnificent days.
He said they rented the building for 20 years and spent 1.5 million Turkish Liras for the restoration. "The historic assembly building, which is located in the city center, was in a desperate situation. Some should have taken a step for the building and I started working. First of all, we changed the seats. After a period of two years, the building is now a proper place for the city," he said.
Güney said the historic building would serve as a culture and art center from then on. "With capacity for 500 people, our goal is to host theater plays, concerts and important wedding ceremonies. We will open a caf where people have not entered for many years," he said.