A project has been launched in Bishkek to create a modern cultural center at the site where the 'Chatyr-Kul' cinema once stood. According to the city administration, work has already begun: the Capital Construction Department has installed fencing and started dismantling the old building.
According to the "Frunze City Encyclopedia," the 'Chatyr-Kul' cinema opened in 1967 in the Botanical residential area on Dushanbinskaya Street (now Toktonalieva Street). It had a capacity of 600 seats and served as a cultural center for the residents of the new neighborhoods.
However, over time, the cinema ceased to function in its original capacity. In 2010, the building was nationalized and transferred to the state youth theater 'Uchur,' but a major renovation was never carried out, and the theater continued to use it without significant changes.
At the time of the fire that occurred on November 5, 2025, the building was in a dilapidated state: windows and doors were broken, the area was not maintained, and the property was essentially abandoned.
After the fire, the mayor of Bishkek visited the scene and instructed the services to consider the future of the building and expedite the implementation of the new cultural center project.
Work on the project is currently ongoing, and construction of the new cultural center will begin soon.
