Construction work has begun on a new cultural center in the capital of Kyrgyzstan, which will be located on the site of the once-popular 'Chatyr-Kul' cinema. This was reported by the press service of the Bishkek City Hall.
The demolition of the old building has already started, and the work is being carried out by the Department of Capital Construction.
Historical data from the "Frunze City Encyclopedia" indicates that the 'Chatyr-Kul' cinema was opened in 1967 and was located in the Botanical residential area on Dushanbinskaya Street (now Toktonalieva Street).
This cinema served as a cultural center for the residents of the new neighborhoods and had an auditorium with 600 seats.
However, over time, its operations ceased. In 2010, the building was nationalized and handed over to the state youth theater 'Uchur', but no major repairs were ever conducted.
At the time of the fire, the cinema was in a semi-abandoned state, with broken windows and doors, and the area around it was not maintained. The building was effectively unused.
In early November 2025, a fire occurred that caused significant damage to the building. After the incident, the mayor of Bishkek instructed to expedite the process of creating a new cultural center on the site of the cinema.
