Located just a few steps from the Opéra de Lausanne, Lausanne's movie theatre Le Capitole was also designed by architect Charles Thévenaz. Adapting to the slope of the Avenue du Théâtre, Le Capitole is not built in height but rather in width and therefore has a facade much lower than what is expected of a classic movie theatre building. The oldest movie theatre in Lausanne opened its doors on December 29, 1928 and then had 1077 seats, 802 on the floor and 275 on the gallery. Until 1942, the room had a cinema organ and an orchestra pit and hosted concerts, shows and conferences. Jean-Paul Sartre has performed at the Capitole, among others. In the 1950s, the first panoramic screen in Switzerland was installed there.
Le Capitole, Lausanne - entrance
Le Capitole now has 869 seats, making it the largest cinema in Switzerland.
Le Capitole, Lausanne
Le Capitole, Lausanne
Le Capitole, Lausanne
Le Capitole, Lausanne - bar
In 2010, the building was bought by the city of Lausanne and is now used by the Cinémathèque Suisse. It was renovated and re-opened in spring 2024 with a second 140-seat room in the basement.