Excelsior Cinema
An Art Nouveau cinema built by pioneers of Italian film exhibition, the Excelsior opened in Mestre in 1911 and survived wars, technological upheaval, and changing tastes to remain a landmark of early 20th-century commercial architecture.
At a glance
The Excelsior is among Italy’s oldest surviving cinemas. Built between 1911 and 1914 by engineer Gandin for the Furlan family—major figures in Italian film distribution—it operated continuously through sound, color, television, and digital technologies. Today it stands as a Liberty-style monument to cinema’s cultural impact, recently closed while awaiting restoration or new purpose.
History
Vittorio Furlan, a pioneer of cinema distribution, began film projections in Mestre in 1905. Six years later, he and his father Antonio opened the Cinema Excelsior. The inaugural event was exclusive: one hundred invited guests enjoyed champagne and sweets after the screening.
Early audiences included soldiers and working-class visitors arriving on Sunday afternoons from the suburbs. Ticket prices reflected a three-tier system: 1.20 lire for velvet gallery seats, 1 lira for first-class wooden chairs, and 70 cents for wooden benches.
The cinema endured Italy’s wars. A photograph from the 1940s shows Piazza Ferretto cratered by bombing—yet a queue of patrons still lined up outside to enter the Excelsior. In the 1930s, Giovanni Furlan commissioned a stage and decorative painting by Raffa; interior frescoes were created by Alessandro Pomi.
By 1992, after decades of wear, comprehensive restoration returned the building’s original splendor. The Excelsior later became a multiplex with three screens before eventually closing.
What you see
The façade displays Art Nouveau floral motifs and frescoed details, with a signboard reading “Excelsior-Cinema-Concerto” from left to right. The building sits near the Marzenego branch of the Orsellino canal.
A tiled floor installed during early construction features a coordinated geometric pattern with a central tile marked “1911”—discovered during 1930s renovation work. Interior finishes include marmorino plaster, bright colors, and majolica details restored in the 1992 refurbishment.
Cultural significance
The Excelsior embodies Italian cinema’s social and technological evolution. It witnessed the advent of sound, color film, and television while serving ordinary people—soldiers, workers, families—as a gathering place for collective entertainment.
The building survived occupation, bombardment, and economic competition from multiplexes and television. Its preservation reflects broader themes in Italy’s 20th-century cultural history, from modernization to the rise of consumer leisure.
Key facts
- Address: Piazza Erminio Ferretto 14, 30174 Mestre, Veneto
- Constructed: 1911–1914
- Architect: Engineer Gandin
- Builder: Guassin company
- Original owner: Vittorio and Antonio Furlan
- Interior frescoes: Alessandro Pomi
- 1930s stage additions: painter Raffa
- Restored: 1992
- Current status: Closed; building undergoing historic restoration
- Coordinates: 45.49448052209095, 12.24150002002716
- Phone: 041 988664
Practical information
The cinema is currently closed to the public while undergoing restoration. Check ahead before visiting. The current property owner is exploring options for the building’s future use.
Getting there
The Excelsior is located on Piazza Erminio Ferretto in central Mestre, the mainland district of Venice. Mestre is served by rail (Venezia Mestre station) and road links; the cinema is accessible by local transport and on foot from the station.
Sources & resources
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